The purpose of this site is to update Cluster 8-1 students and families about important information regarding our social studies class.
FINAL EXAM RESOURCES:
Study Guide
Sources of Power handout
Why Gov't? Quiz
Columbus Quiz
Towards Independence Test Study Guide
Declaration of Independence Excerpts handout
Shays' Rebellion and the Articles of Confederation Quiz
Why 3/5? handout
What is Race? Definitions handout
Plessy v. Ferguson handout
Constitution Quiz
Week Thirty-Seven: June 6th-June 10th
Goal - We will spend our final week together finalizing our cluster Grammy Award recipients, based on the votes cast by the different social studies blocks. We will build on our project learnings by diving deeper into the Bill of Rights and learning more about the rights and freedoms guaranteed to all citizens of the United States under the Constitution. We will also begin to discuss our final exam, which will be held on Wednesday, June 15th.
-Homework: Due Tuesday 6/7 - Bill of Rights Hypotheticals handout
Due Wednesday 6/8 - Bill of Rights amendment number drawings handout
Due Friday 6/10 - Mini-quiz on the Bill of Rights (10 points)
Week Thirty-Six: May 31st-June 3rd:
Goal - We will work this week to finalize and wrap up our Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists songs and music videos. We will celebrate our projects by nominating songs for various Grammy Awards based on the specified criteria. Grammy winners will be determined by each block during the first round of voting. All homework assignments this week are related to project preparation.
Week Thirty-Five: May 23rd-May 27th:
Goal - We will work in the computer lab this week on our Hamilton music projects. A draft of your group's song lyrics are due by the end of class Tuesday 5/24. All background music selections need to be made by the end of class on Thursday 5/26. Your final product is due Wednesday 6/1.
Week Thirty-Four: May 16th-May 20th:
Goal - We will have another disrupted week, between the visit from the Holocaust speaker on Monday and the two days of Science MCAS. We will use the shortened time that we have together to continue with our work using the musical Hamilton as our forum for learning about our country's first political parties and their different interpretations and applications of our Constitution. We will begin a new project towards the end of the week to help assess what we have learned and summarize our new understandings in a creative and engaging way. Homework towards the end of the week will be based on decisions made by individual project groups.
Week Thirty-Three: May 9th-May 13th:
Goal - This week has many schedule disruptions, between a presentation from state Representative Denise Garlick, Math MCAS for two days, and our cluster field trip on Friday. We will use the time that we do have together to continue learning about our country's first political parties and their interpretations of the recently ratified U.S. Constitution. Using excerpts from the musical Hamilton, we will analyze the issues that our founding fathers were debating at our nation's birth and how the decisions that they made to resolve these issues established our country's identity.
-Homework: Due to MCAS testing and our cluster field trip on Friday, there will be no homework for the remainder
of the week.
Week Thirty-Two: May 2nd-May 6th
Goal - Our primary focus for the beginning of this week will be to prepare for our first Constitution Quiz on Wednesday 5/4. We will focus predominantly on the steps to becoming elected president of the United States, as we look to better understand the primary election process and the general election process. After our assessment on Wednesday, we will look at other aspects of the Constitution, primarily focusing on the Bill of Rights and the guarantees granted to all citizens of the United States.
-Homework: Due Wednesday 5/4 - prepare for our first Constitution Quiz (Electoral College video study resource!)
Due Thursday 5/5 - read the Bill of Rights overview and complete the graphic organizer
Week Thirty-One: April 25th-April 29th
Goal - Welcome back from vacation! We will begin this week by kicking off our unit on the United States Constitution. We will use the situation in Little Rock, Arkansas from 1957 as a case study in federalism and explore the powers of the state government versus the powers of the federal government as they are outlined in our country's most important founding document.
-Homework: Due Tuesday 4/26 - complete the Constitutional Scavenger Hunt using the text of the Constitution
Due Thursday 4/28 - complete the double-sided Electoral College handout
Week Thirty: April 11th-April 15th
Goal - We will spend this week before break reviewing the failures of the early United States under the Articles of Confederation and examine how Shays' Rebellion in 1786-1787 really highlighted that it was time for our founding fathers to meet to make some changes to our government in order for our country to survive. We will examine the various perspectives on this rebellion, critically thinking about the role of government and the rights of its citizens. What would John Locke say about Shays' Rebellion? Would he support Washington's point of view or Jefferson's? How do these varying viewpoints demonstrate a divide in philosophy on the role of government from our country's beginning? How do they reflect the current state of politics, as demonstrated by the current presidential election?
-Homework: Due Tuesday 4/12 - Adams' rebellion quote analysis
Due Thursday 4/14 - QUIZ
Week Twenty-Nine: April 4th-April 8th
Goal - Once we finish our ELA MCAS tests, our time this week will focus on understanding the decisions made at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. This history - understanding the issues being debated and the reasons behind the compromises that were made between the delegates of the newly formed United States - will provide us with the necessary context to better understand the reasons behind some of the issues and events that have occurred in our nation's history. Understanding the framework of our government will put us in a better position to question the decisions made by our leaders as we study further issues and events related to race and racism and the response from official leaders on these matters.
-Homework: Due Thursday 4/7 - Benjamin Franklin speech mark-up handout
Due Friday 4/8 - Articles of Confederation active reading
Week Twenty-Eight: March 28th-April 1st
Goal - Now that we have completed our research paper projects, we will return to our unit on Black History Month. We will begin the week by reviewing where we left off and refamiliarize ourselves with our classroom protocols and unit goals and expectations (it's been a while!). We will refresh our memories on the purpose of this celebration and it's roots in educational policy and congressional law. Then, we will critique the current state of race issues in America by examining some pop-culture racial issues, as well as several historical incidents and situations involving race, as we work to better understand why this issue has proven so controversial throughout history.
-Homework: Due Tuesday 3/29 - What is race? Reflection and Visual
Due Wednesday 3/30 - 8 facts about chosen event from class (record in journal)
RESEARCH PAPER UPDATES:
Below is an updated schedule and linked resources to use for the remainder of our research paper project:
-Key Deadlines: use your updated Action Plan Calendar to continue to work on your essay draft. We will hold
writing workshops Wednesday 3/16, Thursday 3/17, Friday 3/18, and Wednesday 3/23. We
will hold peer-editing days on Monday 3/21 and Tuesday 3/22. Your FINAL DRAFT (which
follows all of the final draft requirements listed in your research paper packet) will be due by
the end of class on Wednesday 3/23.
-Helpful Resources: Paper outline template; Body Paragraph graphic organizer; Final Draft Requirements
Week Twenty-Six: March 7th-March 11th
Goal - Week three of our 8th grade research paper assignment! Our focus this week shifts from research to beginning to draft our paper and organize all of the information that we have found using our database and print resources. We will focus first on creating an outline on Noodletools of our essay, where we can import our thesis statements and organize our research into body paragraphs with topic sentences using our digital notecards. Continue to use the packets in your research paper folder to help guide your day-to-day work. I will continue to make comments and suggestions on your Noodletools dashboard about your notecards. Let me or Mrs. Steiger know if you need any help finding specific resources for your topic.
Key deadlines for this week: Watch the "Creating Outlines" screencast posted on Mrs. Steiger's Google Classroom page AND complete the corresponding Google Form by Tuesday, 3/8. All research should be completed by Thursday, 3/10.
Research paper resource: Use the search engine "Sweet Search" for any specific information that you need to find for your project that doesn't seem to be accessible through the databases. See the resources linked to last week's post for assignment handouts and directions.
Week Twenty-Five: February 29th-March 4th
Goal - Week two of our 8th grade research paper assignment. Our primary focus for this week is to work on gathering resources and taking notes using the library databases and Noodletools notecards. Use Mrs. Steiger's Google Classroom page for specific announcements and screencast assignments. Refer to your project packet in your folder for step-by-step directions for our working blocks this week.
Key deadlines for this week: Thesis statement draft due Tuesday, 3/1.
Research paper resources: Assignment directions and steps; Handouts packet; Final draft requirements
Week Twenty-Four: February 22nd-February 26th
Goal - Begin our 8th grade research paper assignment! All handouts, deadlines, and assignment steps are listed in the research paper project packets in students' social studies folders. Mrs. Steiger's Google Classroom code is 4b2we9z.
Homework: For Tuesday 2/23 - Watch screencast for "Finding Database Articles" posted on Mrs. Steiger's
Google Classroom AND complete the Google Form
For Wednesday 2/24 - Watch the screencasts for "Citing Database Articles" and "Creating Notecards"
posted on Mrs. Steiger's Google Classroom AND complete the Google Form
For Thursday 2/25 - Step 2 handout due (topic selection)
For Friday 2/26 - Watch the screencast for "Website Citations" posted on Mrs. Steiger's Google
Classroom AND complete the Google Form
Week Twenty-Three: February 8th-February 12th
Goal - We will continue with our work on Black History Month this week, applying what we've learned about the history behind this celebration and its initial purpose to current events. We will look closely at some of the history related to the evolution of civil rights in America and critique some modern-day examples of race relations.
Homework: For Tuesday 2/9 - complete the Ninth Grade Placement Reflection handout
Week Twenty-Two: February 1st-February 5th
Goal - February is Black History Month in the United States, and we will honor the charge put forth to all Americans by President Ford back in 1976 when he challenged us to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” We will spend the first week of our unit learning about the history behind this celebration and how it has evolved since its initial inception as Negro History Week under Dr. Carter G. Woodson back in 1926. We will work together to establish classroom and discussion norms to help us navigate through and feel comfortable in difficult conversations. We will also begin to explore the definition of race and how it has changed throughout the course of U.S. history, both legally and socially. This early work will lay the foundation for the rest of our unit, as we will establish clear guidelines to operate under and create common understandings and working definitions of the vocabulary and terms that we will be using throughout our unit.
Homework: For Tuesday 2/2 - Barriers to the Conversation reflection response
For Wednesday 2/3 - Complete the Personal Identity Survey
For Thursday 2/4 - Analyze and respond to USA Today article
For Friday 2/5 - My Presidential Proclamation prompt
Week Twenty-One: January 25th-January 29th
Goal - We will begin to look at the early battles and events of the Revolutionary War and focus primarily on the Declaration of Independence. What were the principles of government upon which this new country would be based? How did the Declaration of Independence outline what America would stand for as a nation? What role did this document play in shaping the development of our country? We will spend most of this week analyzing the history and significance of this document and apply its principles and beliefs to our country today. Are these "truths" still "self-evident"? How do we see these principles in our lives as Americans?
Homework: For Tuesday 1/26 - complete the John Adams movie handout
For Wednesday 1/27 - Was Paul Revere a hero? (use the online text or the following screen shots as
resources for this writing assignment - image 1,
image 2, image 3)
For Thursday 1/28 - Declaration of Independence reflection questions
For Friday 1/29 - John and Abigail Adams' Letters Analysis questions
Week Twenty: January 18th-January 22nd
Goal - We will wrap up our Towards Independence unit by piecing together the final actions leading to the Declaration of Independence and the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. As we will learn, the severity and the consistency at which the British government attempts to exercise its control over the colonists will prove too much for the American patriots, ultimately leading to rebellion. As we prepare for a test at the end of the week, we will finalize our timeline and our understanding of these actions and events and determine which serve as the final straw for the American colonists.
Homework: For Wednesday 1/20 - finish your chapter 5 handout
For Friday 1/22 - complete the study guide to help you prepare for our test
Week Nineteen: January 11th-January 15th
Goal - We will continue our work with understanding the tension between the British and their American colonies prior to the outbreak of the Revolutionary Way through our work on our mini-projects on the different laws and acts passed by the British government following the French and Indian War. We will use what we have learned about our assigned act in a presentation to our social studies class designed to teach our peers about the key information of each act. Once we have this collective understanding, we will examine a few more actions taken by the British government and the American colonists (i.e. the Boston Massacre, the Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party, the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord) as they struggled to maintain a positive working relationship prior to the Declaration of Independence and the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Were the colonists justified in rebelling against the British government based on their actions after the French and Indian War? Why or why not?
Homework: For Tuesday 1/12 - project presentations tomorrow!
For Wednesday 1/13 - complete the project reflection handout
For Thursday 1/14 - finish the early British acts graphic organizer handout
Week Eighteen: January 4th-January 8th
Goal - We will begin the week by participating in the National Geography Bee, where all of Pollard's eighth grade social studies students will compete first within their cluster classes, then across cluster winners, for the title of Geography Bee champion. The grade-level winner will have an opportunity to advance to the state-wide competition on April 1st, and may eventually move on the national Bee (to be held between May 22nd-May 25th). Given that this is a school-wide competition (with nation-wide implications), no homework or traditional social studies coursework will be assigned until the preliminary round of competition is over later this week.
Homework: For Thursday 1/7 - complete packet step 2 for your assigned British Act (copies of the textbook
sections are linked below)
The Proclamation of 1763 reading
The Stamp Act reading
The Quartering Act reading
The Townshend Acts reading
Week Seventeen: December 21st-December 25th
Goal - We will spend the last few days before vacation learning about English citizenship rights as of the time of the early American colonies. What rights and freedoms were given to all English citizens under the Magna Carta and English Bill of Rights? How did the government of England, specifically the monarchy and the Parliament, violate these citizenship rights for the colonists living in America? Understanding the rights that were owed to the colonists under British citizenship law will help us better contextualize the reasons why the colonists ultimately decided to declare independence and establish their own system of government with its own written Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Homework: For Tuesday 12/22 - Complete the Geography Challenge handout using the maps on pgs. 84-85 in the
History Alive! textbook (photo of map 1; photo of maps 2 and 3)
Week Sixteen: December 14th-December 18th
Goal - We will work this week to learn about life in the English colonies of North America prior to the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War. We will connect what we have learned about the theories and forms of government to our new understandings of colonial life to help contextualize the mindset of the colonists prior to the outbreak of war.
Homework: For Tuesday 12/15 - Complete History Alive! section 3.1 and 3.2 work
For Wednesday 12/16 - The Great Awakening reading and questions
For Thursday 12/17 - Pilgrims vs. Puritans reading and questions
For Friday 12/18 - Boston Massacre primary source reading and handout (in preparation for Friday's
performance)
Week Fifteen: December 7th-December 11th
Goal - We will spend time this week reinforcing and practicing our skills as readers and writers as we work to make sense of challenging concepts and terms in our curriculum and the primary source documents that we use to piece together our nation's history. We will begin the week continuing our work from the end of last week on sorting and categorizing key content vocabulary into meaningful groupings, helping to enhance our understanding of the information that we are learning in our "Why Government?" unit. We will also work this week to honor the anniversary of "Pearl Harbor Day" - December 7, 1941 - by doing a close-reading activity and analysis of President Roosevelt's response to the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in the days before the United States got involved in the World War II. These reading, critical thinking, and analysis skills will translate into increased understanding of our history and will provide us with opportunities to showcase new learnings and make deeper connections among our curriculum units.
Homework: For Tuesday 12/8 - Complete the Forms of Gov't Concept Sorting Activity 2 handout
Cluster 8-1's Gettysburg Address Mash-up!
Week Fourteen: November 30th-December 4th
Goal - We will return to our study of the various Forms of Government that exist throughout the world today as we prepare to rewind time and examine the choices made by the early American colonists as they grew dissatisfied with the English throne. We will develop an understanding of the differences, similarities, pros, and cons of each form of government, as well as look briefly at how these government types evolved over time. This will help us better contextualize our own American Revolution and deepen our understanding of the significance and impact of this period in history.
Homework: For Tuesday 12/1 - log on to PowerSchool and double-check your term grade ahead of the end of
trimester 1 (ends Friday, 12/4). Make sure all of your grades and assignments
are up-to-date and accurately recorded.
For Wednesday 12/2 - complete the Participation and Effort Self-Assessment handout
For Thursday 12/3 - finish your Government Alive! chapter 2 packet
(online textbook log-in: username: first initial last name; password: harding)
For Friday 12/4 - complete step 7 from the Forms of Gov't: Concept Sorting handout (6 flashcards
with symbols ONLY)
Week Thirteen: November 23rd-November 27th
Goal - We will wrap-up our work honoring the 152nd anniversary of President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address by examining the meaning and significance of this 272-word speech and memorizing these immortal words. We will spend our last day together before vacation examining some current events issues, organizing ourselves for our upcoming unit, and making sure that we are caught up on all necessary assignments before the end of the term on Friday, December 4th.
Homework: For Tuesday 11/24 - memorize the Gettysburg Address
Week Twelve: November 16th-November 20th
Goal - We will continue our work on current events during the first part of the week, engaging in conversation about about First Amendment rights and freedoms as they relate to the situation at the University of Missouri. We will connect this work to that of our understanding of rights and responsibilities of a government and as members of a democracy, as we transition to the second half of the week and focus on the various forms of government that exist around the world. We will gain an appreciation, as well as offer a critique, on the government system used here in the U.S. and see how our citizenship rights vary from those of other countries, both presently and historically. This will offer us the necessary background information that we need to understand the concerns and criticisms of the colonists as they prepared to rebel against the English monarchy prior to the Revolutionary War.
Homework: For Tuesday 11/17 - complete the Why Government? handout
For Wednesday 11/18 - STA Day - please dress professionally and bring a bagged lunch
For Friday 11/20 - complete the "Who Rules?" active reading handout
Thursday's in-class department pre-assessment
1. Enter the "room code" - IQHRVUBSZ
2. Type your LAST NAME, FIRST NAME
3. Complete the pre-assessment (not for grade) at your own pace
Week Eleven: November 9th-November 13th
Goal - We will spend this week reviewing the key terminology related to government and nation-states so that these terms and definitions become a part of our classroom vocabulary and are easily worked into our class discussions and dialogue. We will also honor Veteran's Day on Wednesday by learning about the history of the holiday and the ways in which this celebration has evolved over time. We will end this week with a focus on current events, as that is one of the key principles of any history class - to practice our skills as members of a democratic society and to actively participate in the world around us.
Homework: For Tuesday 11/10 - finish Locke comic
For Thursday 11/12 - begin studying for our "Why Government?" quiz on Friday
Week Ten: November 2nd-November 6th
Goal - We will start our week preparing for our own cluster Election Day on Tuesday 11/3 by researching student-selected voting issues and the positions of the different candidates on these issues. We will hold our own Block Caucus Debates and discuss these issues openly before casting our own ballots on Election Day. From here, we will work to understand the foundations and purposes of establishing governments, looking at the philosophical teachings of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes and the roots of their work in our own democracy. This will not only help us understand some of the beliefs and values of our own government systems today, but also help us contextualize the mindsets of the colonists as they prepared for revolution against their monarchy during colonial times.
Homework: For Tuesday 11/3 - finish your Block Caucus Debate research notes handout
For Wednesday 11/4 - complete the Block Caucus Debate Reflection
For Thursday 11/5 - Why Gov't? Reading handout
For Friday 11/6 - John Locke's Philosophies active reading
Week Nine: October 26th-October 30th
Goal - We will wrap up our study of the first European settlers in the New World by preparing for our assessment on Wednesday, which asks students to piece together the first experiences of the Spanish, French, English, and Dutch settlers in the Americas. Students will be responsible for knowing which areas were settled by each group, why these groups were interested in establishing colonies in the first place, and the impact these settlements had on the natives already inhabiting this land.
Homework: For Tuesday 10/27 - Thesis Statement practice handout
For Wednesday 10/28 - Quiz study guide due
Additional Quiz Study Tools:
**Copy of review game slides from class 10/27
**Click here to view/download a copy of "Jamestown" lyrics, a parody written by Josh M and Caleb B!
Week Eight: October 19th-October 23rd
Goal - We will continue to work this week on piecing together the history of Columbus' voyage to the New World. We will learn the skill of thesis writing, and use this strategy to begin debating the true legacy of this celebrated figure in American history. We will then turn our focus towards other European groups that followed Columbus and who began establishing colonies in America. Our primary focus in this work will be Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America.
Homework: For Tuesday 10/20 - complete your Columbus thesis using the graphic organizer we began in class
For Wednesday 10/21 - finish chapter 2 classwork using packet and textbook
(username: first initial last name; password: harding;
teacher e-mail: [email protected])
For Thursday 10/22 - John Smith's Primary Documents handout
For Friday 10/23 - European Exploration Key Info handout (study tool)
**QUIZ STUDY GUIDE (Quiz on Wednesday, 10/28)
Week Seven: October 13th-October 16th
Goal - Our focus this week will be on the beginning of European settlement in the New World. We will begin by discussing the story of Christopher Columbus and the role he played in shaping European exploration in America. We will practice our Thinking Like a Historian skills and piece this complicated tale together using a variety of sources, comparing the details of each resource and drawing our own conclusions about what is "true" about this history.
Homework: For Wednesday 10/14 - read the Columbus diary entry and fill-in the corresponding chart notes
For Thursday 10/15 - read the Vespucci account of the natives and fill-in the corresponding notes
For Friday 10/16 - Columbus political cartoon handout
Week Five-Six: September 28th-October 9th
Goal - For the next week+, we will work alongside Mr. Camberis' cluster 8-2 social studies students on a joint presidential candidate research project. Our focus for both in and out of class will be to complete the required research, create a Canva image, and make a final Thinglink project. Important documents and resources for this assignment are linked within this post. Key due dates/deadlines are listed in the candidate research project packet.
**For class on Thursday 10/1 - click on this link to access the video on "Electing a US President"
How to submit your final candidate project - watch this video to learn how to turn in your Thinglink candidate project. Once you have submitted your project, check-out the possible "next steps" for what to do next.
Week Four: September 21st-September 25th
Goal - We will begin our work on the current presidential election and political current events. We will spend time understanding the electoral process and our role as citizens in a democracy, as well as begin identifying our own opinions and beliefs on some of the key issues facing voters this election season. Ultimately, we will declare our own party affiliation and cast a vote for one of the potential candidates for president after completing our own candidate research, analyzing political debates, and having our own in-class discussions.
Homework: For Tuesday 9/22 - political typology survey and handout
For Friday 9/25 - finish the "Candidate Evaluation" packet
Week Three: September 14th-September 18th
Goal - We will begin discussing one of our biggest themes/Essential Questions of the year - What is POWER? Who has it? How do you get it? Why do people want it? We will begin to discuss these questions as we work to establish a working definition of the concept of POWER, which will be discussed as a central component in all of our units throughout the year.
Homework: For Wednesday 9/16 - Power in Your Life handout
For Thursday 9/17 - Power Quotes reflection (based on class activity)
For Friday 9/18 - Power Visual
Week Two: September 7th-September 11th
Goal - We will continue to build our classroom community by establishing groupwork norms and beginning discussions around the strategies and skills that we will need to work on as historians.
Homework: For Wednesday 9/9 - Survivor activity reflection
For Friday 9/11 - September 11th interview
Week One: September 2nd-September 4th
Welcome, Cluster 8-1 students! For the first several days of school, our goal will be to work on building our classroom community and to start to learn more about one another as we work to create an environment where will be able to safely learn and grow together throughout the year.
Homework: For Thursday 9/3 - Syllabus receipt due
For Friday 9/4 - 1. All required class materials due; 2. Finish writing introductory letter to Ms.
Harding (using Ms. Harding’s letter as a model)
FINAL EXAM RESOURCES:
Study Guide
Sources of Power handout
Why Gov't? Quiz
Columbus Quiz
Towards Independence Test Study Guide
Declaration of Independence Excerpts handout
Shays' Rebellion and the Articles of Confederation Quiz
Why 3/5? handout
What is Race? Definitions handout
Plessy v. Ferguson handout
Constitution Quiz
Week Thirty-Seven: June 6th-June 10th
Goal - We will spend our final week together finalizing our cluster Grammy Award recipients, based on the votes cast by the different social studies blocks. We will build on our project learnings by diving deeper into the Bill of Rights and learning more about the rights and freedoms guaranteed to all citizens of the United States under the Constitution. We will also begin to discuss our final exam, which will be held on Wednesday, June 15th.
-Homework: Due Tuesday 6/7 - Bill of Rights Hypotheticals handout
Due Wednesday 6/8 - Bill of Rights amendment number drawings handout
Due Friday 6/10 - Mini-quiz on the Bill of Rights (10 points)
Week Thirty-Six: May 31st-June 3rd:
Goal - We will work this week to finalize and wrap up our Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists songs and music videos. We will celebrate our projects by nominating songs for various Grammy Awards based on the specified criteria. Grammy winners will be determined by each block during the first round of voting. All homework assignments this week are related to project preparation.
Week Thirty-Five: May 23rd-May 27th:
Goal - We will work in the computer lab this week on our Hamilton music projects. A draft of your group's song lyrics are due by the end of class Tuesday 5/24. All background music selections need to be made by the end of class on Thursday 5/26. Your final product is due Wednesday 6/1.
Week Thirty-Four: May 16th-May 20th:
Goal - We will have another disrupted week, between the visit from the Holocaust speaker on Monday and the two days of Science MCAS. We will use the shortened time that we have together to continue with our work using the musical Hamilton as our forum for learning about our country's first political parties and their different interpretations and applications of our Constitution. We will begin a new project towards the end of the week to help assess what we have learned and summarize our new understandings in a creative and engaging way. Homework towards the end of the week will be based on decisions made by individual project groups.
Week Thirty-Three: May 9th-May 13th:
Goal - This week has many schedule disruptions, between a presentation from state Representative Denise Garlick, Math MCAS for two days, and our cluster field trip on Friday. We will use the time that we do have together to continue learning about our country's first political parties and their interpretations of the recently ratified U.S. Constitution. Using excerpts from the musical Hamilton, we will analyze the issues that our founding fathers were debating at our nation's birth and how the decisions that they made to resolve these issues established our country's identity.
-Homework: Due to MCAS testing and our cluster field trip on Friday, there will be no homework for the remainder
of the week.
Week Thirty-Two: May 2nd-May 6th
Goal - Our primary focus for the beginning of this week will be to prepare for our first Constitution Quiz on Wednesday 5/4. We will focus predominantly on the steps to becoming elected president of the United States, as we look to better understand the primary election process and the general election process. After our assessment on Wednesday, we will look at other aspects of the Constitution, primarily focusing on the Bill of Rights and the guarantees granted to all citizens of the United States.
-Homework: Due Wednesday 5/4 - prepare for our first Constitution Quiz (Electoral College video study resource!)
Due Thursday 5/5 - read the Bill of Rights overview and complete the graphic organizer
Week Thirty-One: April 25th-April 29th
Goal - Welcome back from vacation! We will begin this week by kicking off our unit on the United States Constitution. We will use the situation in Little Rock, Arkansas from 1957 as a case study in federalism and explore the powers of the state government versus the powers of the federal government as they are outlined in our country's most important founding document.
-Homework: Due Tuesday 4/26 - complete the Constitutional Scavenger Hunt using the text of the Constitution
Due Thursday 4/28 - complete the double-sided Electoral College handout
Week Thirty: April 11th-April 15th
Goal - We will spend this week before break reviewing the failures of the early United States under the Articles of Confederation and examine how Shays' Rebellion in 1786-1787 really highlighted that it was time for our founding fathers to meet to make some changes to our government in order for our country to survive. We will examine the various perspectives on this rebellion, critically thinking about the role of government and the rights of its citizens. What would John Locke say about Shays' Rebellion? Would he support Washington's point of view or Jefferson's? How do these varying viewpoints demonstrate a divide in philosophy on the role of government from our country's beginning? How do they reflect the current state of politics, as demonstrated by the current presidential election?
-Homework: Due Tuesday 4/12 - Adams' rebellion quote analysis
Due Thursday 4/14 - QUIZ
Week Twenty-Nine: April 4th-April 8th
Goal - Once we finish our ELA MCAS tests, our time this week will focus on understanding the decisions made at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. This history - understanding the issues being debated and the reasons behind the compromises that were made between the delegates of the newly formed United States - will provide us with the necessary context to better understand the reasons behind some of the issues and events that have occurred in our nation's history. Understanding the framework of our government will put us in a better position to question the decisions made by our leaders as we study further issues and events related to race and racism and the response from official leaders on these matters.
-Homework: Due Thursday 4/7 - Benjamin Franklin speech mark-up handout
Due Friday 4/8 - Articles of Confederation active reading
Week Twenty-Eight: March 28th-April 1st
Goal - Now that we have completed our research paper projects, we will return to our unit on Black History Month. We will begin the week by reviewing where we left off and refamiliarize ourselves with our classroom protocols and unit goals and expectations (it's been a while!). We will refresh our memories on the purpose of this celebration and it's roots in educational policy and congressional law. Then, we will critique the current state of race issues in America by examining some pop-culture racial issues, as well as several historical incidents and situations involving race, as we work to better understand why this issue has proven so controversial throughout history.
-Homework: Due Tuesday 3/29 - What is race? Reflection and Visual
Due Wednesday 3/30 - 8 facts about chosen event from class (record in journal)
RESEARCH PAPER UPDATES:
Below is an updated schedule and linked resources to use for the remainder of our research paper project:
-Key Deadlines: use your updated Action Plan Calendar to continue to work on your essay draft. We will hold
writing workshops Wednesday 3/16, Thursday 3/17, Friday 3/18, and Wednesday 3/23. We
will hold peer-editing days on Monday 3/21 and Tuesday 3/22. Your FINAL DRAFT (which
follows all of the final draft requirements listed in your research paper packet) will be due by
the end of class on Wednesday 3/23.
-Helpful Resources: Paper outline template; Body Paragraph graphic organizer; Final Draft Requirements
Week Twenty-Six: March 7th-March 11th
Goal - Week three of our 8th grade research paper assignment! Our focus this week shifts from research to beginning to draft our paper and organize all of the information that we have found using our database and print resources. We will focus first on creating an outline on Noodletools of our essay, where we can import our thesis statements and organize our research into body paragraphs with topic sentences using our digital notecards. Continue to use the packets in your research paper folder to help guide your day-to-day work. I will continue to make comments and suggestions on your Noodletools dashboard about your notecards. Let me or Mrs. Steiger know if you need any help finding specific resources for your topic.
Key deadlines for this week: Watch the "Creating Outlines" screencast posted on Mrs. Steiger's Google Classroom page AND complete the corresponding Google Form by Tuesday, 3/8. All research should be completed by Thursday, 3/10.
Research paper resource: Use the search engine "Sweet Search" for any specific information that you need to find for your project that doesn't seem to be accessible through the databases. See the resources linked to last week's post for assignment handouts and directions.
Week Twenty-Five: February 29th-March 4th
Goal - Week two of our 8th grade research paper assignment. Our primary focus for this week is to work on gathering resources and taking notes using the library databases and Noodletools notecards. Use Mrs. Steiger's Google Classroom page for specific announcements and screencast assignments. Refer to your project packet in your folder for step-by-step directions for our working blocks this week.
Key deadlines for this week: Thesis statement draft due Tuesday, 3/1.
Research paper resources: Assignment directions and steps; Handouts packet; Final draft requirements
Week Twenty-Four: February 22nd-February 26th
Goal - Begin our 8th grade research paper assignment! All handouts, deadlines, and assignment steps are listed in the research paper project packets in students' social studies folders. Mrs. Steiger's Google Classroom code is 4b2we9z.
Homework: For Tuesday 2/23 - Watch screencast for "Finding Database Articles" posted on Mrs. Steiger's
Google Classroom AND complete the Google Form
For Wednesday 2/24 - Watch the screencasts for "Citing Database Articles" and "Creating Notecards"
posted on Mrs. Steiger's Google Classroom AND complete the Google Form
For Thursday 2/25 - Step 2 handout due (topic selection)
For Friday 2/26 - Watch the screencast for "Website Citations" posted on Mrs. Steiger's Google
Classroom AND complete the Google Form
Week Twenty-Three: February 8th-February 12th
Goal - We will continue with our work on Black History Month this week, applying what we've learned about the history behind this celebration and its initial purpose to current events. We will look closely at some of the history related to the evolution of civil rights in America and critique some modern-day examples of race relations.
Homework: For Tuesday 2/9 - complete the Ninth Grade Placement Reflection handout
Week Twenty-Two: February 1st-February 5th
Goal - February is Black History Month in the United States, and we will honor the charge put forth to all Americans by President Ford back in 1976 when he challenged us to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” We will spend the first week of our unit learning about the history behind this celebration and how it has evolved since its initial inception as Negro History Week under Dr. Carter G. Woodson back in 1926. We will work together to establish classroom and discussion norms to help us navigate through and feel comfortable in difficult conversations. We will also begin to explore the definition of race and how it has changed throughout the course of U.S. history, both legally and socially. This early work will lay the foundation for the rest of our unit, as we will establish clear guidelines to operate under and create common understandings and working definitions of the vocabulary and terms that we will be using throughout our unit.
Homework: For Tuesday 2/2 - Barriers to the Conversation reflection response
For Wednesday 2/3 - Complete the Personal Identity Survey
For Thursday 2/4 - Analyze and respond to USA Today article
For Friday 2/5 - My Presidential Proclamation prompt
Week Twenty-One: January 25th-January 29th
Goal - We will begin to look at the early battles and events of the Revolutionary War and focus primarily on the Declaration of Independence. What were the principles of government upon which this new country would be based? How did the Declaration of Independence outline what America would stand for as a nation? What role did this document play in shaping the development of our country? We will spend most of this week analyzing the history and significance of this document and apply its principles and beliefs to our country today. Are these "truths" still "self-evident"? How do we see these principles in our lives as Americans?
Homework: For Tuesday 1/26 - complete the John Adams movie handout
For Wednesday 1/27 - Was Paul Revere a hero? (use the online text or the following screen shots as
resources for this writing assignment - image 1,
image 2, image 3)
For Thursday 1/28 - Declaration of Independence reflection questions
For Friday 1/29 - John and Abigail Adams' Letters Analysis questions
Week Twenty: January 18th-January 22nd
Goal - We will wrap up our Towards Independence unit by piecing together the final actions leading to the Declaration of Independence and the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. As we will learn, the severity and the consistency at which the British government attempts to exercise its control over the colonists will prove too much for the American patriots, ultimately leading to rebellion. As we prepare for a test at the end of the week, we will finalize our timeline and our understanding of these actions and events and determine which serve as the final straw for the American colonists.
Homework: For Wednesday 1/20 - finish your chapter 5 handout
For Friday 1/22 - complete the study guide to help you prepare for our test
Week Nineteen: January 11th-January 15th
Goal - We will continue our work with understanding the tension between the British and their American colonies prior to the outbreak of the Revolutionary Way through our work on our mini-projects on the different laws and acts passed by the British government following the French and Indian War. We will use what we have learned about our assigned act in a presentation to our social studies class designed to teach our peers about the key information of each act. Once we have this collective understanding, we will examine a few more actions taken by the British government and the American colonists (i.e. the Boston Massacre, the Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party, the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord) as they struggled to maintain a positive working relationship prior to the Declaration of Independence and the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Were the colonists justified in rebelling against the British government based on their actions after the French and Indian War? Why or why not?
Homework: For Tuesday 1/12 - project presentations tomorrow!
For Wednesday 1/13 - complete the project reflection handout
For Thursday 1/14 - finish the early British acts graphic organizer handout
Week Eighteen: January 4th-January 8th
Goal - We will begin the week by participating in the National Geography Bee, where all of Pollard's eighth grade social studies students will compete first within their cluster classes, then across cluster winners, for the title of Geography Bee champion. The grade-level winner will have an opportunity to advance to the state-wide competition on April 1st, and may eventually move on the national Bee (to be held between May 22nd-May 25th). Given that this is a school-wide competition (with nation-wide implications), no homework or traditional social studies coursework will be assigned until the preliminary round of competition is over later this week.
Homework: For Thursday 1/7 - complete packet step 2 for your assigned British Act (copies of the textbook
sections are linked below)
The Proclamation of 1763 reading
The Stamp Act reading
The Quartering Act reading
The Townshend Acts reading
Week Seventeen: December 21st-December 25th
Goal - We will spend the last few days before vacation learning about English citizenship rights as of the time of the early American colonies. What rights and freedoms were given to all English citizens under the Magna Carta and English Bill of Rights? How did the government of England, specifically the monarchy and the Parliament, violate these citizenship rights for the colonists living in America? Understanding the rights that were owed to the colonists under British citizenship law will help us better contextualize the reasons why the colonists ultimately decided to declare independence and establish their own system of government with its own written Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Homework: For Tuesday 12/22 - Complete the Geography Challenge handout using the maps on pgs. 84-85 in the
History Alive! textbook (photo of map 1; photo of maps 2 and 3)
Week Sixteen: December 14th-December 18th
Goal - We will work this week to learn about life in the English colonies of North America prior to the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War. We will connect what we have learned about the theories and forms of government to our new understandings of colonial life to help contextualize the mindset of the colonists prior to the outbreak of war.
Homework: For Tuesday 12/15 - Complete History Alive! section 3.1 and 3.2 work
For Wednesday 12/16 - The Great Awakening reading and questions
For Thursday 12/17 - Pilgrims vs. Puritans reading and questions
For Friday 12/18 - Boston Massacre primary source reading and handout (in preparation for Friday's
performance)
Week Fifteen: December 7th-December 11th
Goal - We will spend time this week reinforcing and practicing our skills as readers and writers as we work to make sense of challenging concepts and terms in our curriculum and the primary source documents that we use to piece together our nation's history. We will begin the week continuing our work from the end of last week on sorting and categorizing key content vocabulary into meaningful groupings, helping to enhance our understanding of the information that we are learning in our "Why Government?" unit. We will also work this week to honor the anniversary of "Pearl Harbor Day" - December 7, 1941 - by doing a close-reading activity and analysis of President Roosevelt's response to the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in the days before the United States got involved in the World War II. These reading, critical thinking, and analysis skills will translate into increased understanding of our history and will provide us with opportunities to showcase new learnings and make deeper connections among our curriculum units.
Homework: For Tuesday 12/8 - Complete the Forms of Gov't Concept Sorting Activity 2 handout
Cluster 8-1's Gettysburg Address Mash-up!
Week Fourteen: November 30th-December 4th
Goal - We will return to our study of the various Forms of Government that exist throughout the world today as we prepare to rewind time and examine the choices made by the early American colonists as they grew dissatisfied with the English throne. We will develop an understanding of the differences, similarities, pros, and cons of each form of government, as well as look briefly at how these government types evolved over time. This will help us better contextualize our own American Revolution and deepen our understanding of the significance and impact of this period in history.
Homework: For Tuesday 12/1 - log on to PowerSchool and double-check your term grade ahead of the end of
trimester 1 (ends Friday, 12/4). Make sure all of your grades and assignments
are up-to-date and accurately recorded.
For Wednesday 12/2 - complete the Participation and Effort Self-Assessment handout
For Thursday 12/3 - finish your Government Alive! chapter 2 packet
(online textbook log-in: username: first initial last name; password: harding)
For Friday 12/4 - complete step 7 from the Forms of Gov't: Concept Sorting handout (6 flashcards
with symbols ONLY)
Week Thirteen: November 23rd-November 27th
Goal - We will wrap-up our work honoring the 152nd anniversary of President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address by examining the meaning and significance of this 272-word speech and memorizing these immortal words. We will spend our last day together before vacation examining some current events issues, organizing ourselves for our upcoming unit, and making sure that we are caught up on all necessary assignments before the end of the term on Friday, December 4th.
Homework: For Tuesday 11/24 - memorize the Gettysburg Address
Week Twelve: November 16th-November 20th
Goal - We will continue our work on current events during the first part of the week, engaging in conversation about about First Amendment rights and freedoms as they relate to the situation at the University of Missouri. We will connect this work to that of our understanding of rights and responsibilities of a government and as members of a democracy, as we transition to the second half of the week and focus on the various forms of government that exist around the world. We will gain an appreciation, as well as offer a critique, on the government system used here in the U.S. and see how our citizenship rights vary from those of other countries, both presently and historically. This will offer us the necessary background information that we need to understand the concerns and criticisms of the colonists as they prepared to rebel against the English monarchy prior to the Revolutionary War.
Homework: For Tuesday 11/17 - complete the Why Government? handout
For Wednesday 11/18 - STA Day - please dress professionally and bring a bagged lunch
For Friday 11/20 - complete the "Who Rules?" active reading handout
Thursday's in-class department pre-assessment
1. Enter the "room code" - IQHRVUBSZ
2. Type your LAST NAME, FIRST NAME
3. Complete the pre-assessment (not for grade) at your own pace
Week Eleven: November 9th-November 13th
Goal - We will spend this week reviewing the key terminology related to government and nation-states so that these terms and definitions become a part of our classroom vocabulary and are easily worked into our class discussions and dialogue. We will also honor Veteran's Day on Wednesday by learning about the history of the holiday and the ways in which this celebration has evolved over time. We will end this week with a focus on current events, as that is one of the key principles of any history class - to practice our skills as members of a democratic society and to actively participate in the world around us.
Homework: For Tuesday 11/10 - finish Locke comic
For Thursday 11/12 - begin studying for our "Why Government?" quiz on Friday
Week Ten: November 2nd-November 6th
Goal - We will start our week preparing for our own cluster Election Day on Tuesday 11/3 by researching student-selected voting issues and the positions of the different candidates on these issues. We will hold our own Block Caucus Debates and discuss these issues openly before casting our own ballots on Election Day. From here, we will work to understand the foundations and purposes of establishing governments, looking at the philosophical teachings of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes and the roots of their work in our own democracy. This will not only help us understand some of the beliefs and values of our own government systems today, but also help us contextualize the mindsets of the colonists as they prepared for revolution against their monarchy during colonial times.
Homework: For Tuesday 11/3 - finish your Block Caucus Debate research notes handout
For Wednesday 11/4 - complete the Block Caucus Debate Reflection
For Thursday 11/5 - Why Gov't? Reading handout
For Friday 11/6 - John Locke's Philosophies active reading
Week Nine: October 26th-October 30th
Goal - We will wrap up our study of the first European settlers in the New World by preparing for our assessment on Wednesday, which asks students to piece together the first experiences of the Spanish, French, English, and Dutch settlers in the Americas. Students will be responsible for knowing which areas were settled by each group, why these groups were interested in establishing colonies in the first place, and the impact these settlements had on the natives already inhabiting this land.
Homework: For Tuesday 10/27 - Thesis Statement practice handout
For Wednesday 10/28 - Quiz study guide due
Additional Quiz Study Tools:
**Copy of review game slides from class 10/27
**Click here to view/download a copy of "Jamestown" lyrics, a parody written by Josh M and Caleb B!
Week Eight: October 19th-October 23rd
Goal - We will continue to work this week on piecing together the history of Columbus' voyage to the New World. We will learn the skill of thesis writing, and use this strategy to begin debating the true legacy of this celebrated figure in American history. We will then turn our focus towards other European groups that followed Columbus and who began establishing colonies in America. Our primary focus in this work will be Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America.
Homework: For Tuesday 10/20 - complete your Columbus thesis using the graphic organizer we began in class
For Wednesday 10/21 - finish chapter 2 classwork using packet and textbook
(username: first initial last name; password: harding;
teacher e-mail: [email protected])
For Thursday 10/22 - John Smith's Primary Documents handout
For Friday 10/23 - European Exploration Key Info handout (study tool)
**QUIZ STUDY GUIDE (Quiz on Wednesday, 10/28)
Week Seven: October 13th-October 16th
Goal - Our focus this week will be on the beginning of European settlement in the New World. We will begin by discussing the story of Christopher Columbus and the role he played in shaping European exploration in America. We will practice our Thinking Like a Historian skills and piece this complicated tale together using a variety of sources, comparing the details of each resource and drawing our own conclusions about what is "true" about this history.
Homework: For Wednesday 10/14 - read the Columbus diary entry and fill-in the corresponding chart notes
For Thursday 10/15 - read the Vespucci account of the natives and fill-in the corresponding notes
For Friday 10/16 - Columbus political cartoon handout
Week Five-Six: September 28th-October 9th
Goal - For the next week+, we will work alongside Mr. Camberis' cluster 8-2 social studies students on a joint presidential candidate research project. Our focus for both in and out of class will be to complete the required research, create a Canva image, and make a final Thinglink project. Important documents and resources for this assignment are linked within this post. Key due dates/deadlines are listed in the candidate research project packet.
**For class on Thursday 10/1 - click on this link to access the video on "Electing a US President"
How to submit your final candidate project - watch this video to learn how to turn in your Thinglink candidate project. Once you have submitted your project, check-out the possible "next steps" for what to do next.
Week Four: September 21st-September 25th
Goal - We will begin our work on the current presidential election and political current events. We will spend time understanding the electoral process and our role as citizens in a democracy, as well as begin identifying our own opinions and beliefs on some of the key issues facing voters this election season. Ultimately, we will declare our own party affiliation and cast a vote for one of the potential candidates for president after completing our own candidate research, analyzing political debates, and having our own in-class discussions.
Homework: For Tuesday 9/22 - political typology survey and handout
For Friday 9/25 - finish the "Candidate Evaluation" packet
Week Three: September 14th-September 18th
Goal - We will begin discussing one of our biggest themes/Essential Questions of the year - What is POWER? Who has it? How do you get it? Why do people want it? We will begin to discuss these questions as we work to establish a working definition of the concept of POWER, which will be discussed as a central component in all of our units throughout the year.
Homework: For Wednesday 9/16 - Power in Your Life handout
For Thursday 9/17 - Power Quotes reflection (based on class activity)
For Friday 9/18 - Power Visual
Week Two: September 7th-September 11th
Goal - We will continue to build our classroom community by establishing groupwork norms and beginning discussions around the strategies and skills that we will need to work on as historians.
Homework: For Wednesday 9/9 - Survivor activity reflection
For Friday 9/11 - September 11th interview
Week One: September 2nd-September 4th
Welcome, Cluster 8-1 students! For the first several days of school, our goal will be to work on building our classroom community and to start to learn more about one another as we work to create an environment where will be able to safely learn and grow together throughout the year.
Homework: For Thursday 9/3 - Syllabus receipt due
For Friday 9/4 - 1. All required class materials due; 2. Finish writing introductory letter to Ms.
Harding (using Ms. Harding’s letter as a model)