9/30/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("The Growing Confrontation, 1767-70").
2)  Peer Review of Practice Essays.  You will evaluate 3 other students' essays, offering positive and negative feedback.  The evaluations, along with the essays, outlines, and notes, will be stapled all together and turned in today.  Make sure your evaluations are specific and helpful.  Also, take time to read what others say about your writing.  If you are confused by any suggestions, please come see me for clarification.  We won't be formally practicing essay writing after this, so if you are having difficulty doing well on these, please arrange to see me outside of class for help!  It is crucial that you understand how to do these essays.
3)  Homework:  Text, pages 150-151; 154-158 ("The Road to War, 1771-75").

**2nd period extension today for 2nd period classes to review the results of their PLAN test scores from last year in preparation for taking the ACT this year.

9/29/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("The Dynamics of Rebellion, 1765-66").
2)  Finish the Practice Essay Assignment.  Hopefully, you have already finished the notes and the outline.  In class, you can do the 5-paragraph essay.
--Tomorrow will be the Peer Review of the essays, so make sure they are completed by the start of class.  Please do not type them.
3)  Homework:  Textbook, pages 145-150 ("The Growing Confrontation, 1767-70").

**Tonight is Back-to-School Night.
**Mr. Teschner visited class today to talk about the I.B. program and registering for I.B. exams.

9/28/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("The Imperial Reform Movement, 1763-65").
2)  Practice Essay (for Peer Review on Thursday):  PLEASE DO NOT  TYPE THIS ESSAY!
Topic:  Worsening British/American relations, 1763-66.
Question:  "What factors triggered the deterioration in relations between Great Britain and its American colonies between 1763-1766?"
--Start by taking notes on the topic using your textbook as a source (pages 134-145).
--Make a basic outline listing your 3 body paragraph points and supporting details/examples.
--Write the 5 paragraph essay.
--You will have class time today and tomorrow to finish this.  After the Goldilocks Essay, Test 1, and this Practice Essay, if you still have problems with essay writing for this class you definitely need to come see me outside of class for extra help.
3)  Homework:  Textbook, pages 140-145 ("The Dynamics of Rebellion, 1765-66").

**Bring something to work on tomorrow in case you finish the Practice Essay early.
**The next test, Test #2, will be on Tuesday, October 12.  Unit 2 is a shorter unit than most.

9/27/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Test #1.  I will try and get them graded by next Monday.  I always need a weekend to finish grading.
2)  Homework: Pages 134-140 ("The Imperial Reform Movement, 1763-65").

**Bring textbooks tomorrow to class.  You will need them for the classwork.

9/24/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("The Mid-Century Challenge:  War, Trade, and Social Conflict, 1750-65").
2)  Oral Report Presentations on the Enlightenment and the Pietist/Great Awakening movement.
--15 points (7.5 for the information sheet you prepared, 5 for the presentation, and 2.5 for your visual).
3)  We went over the last test essay question from the Test 1 Prep Sheet.

**Test 1 is Monday.  Please study as I recommended and send me any questions or essay outlines by email over the weekend.  I should be able to check my email 2-3 times a day until 10:00 p.m. Sunday evening.

**3rd period did not have time to go over the last essay question with me, so here's some info about that:
You should have 3 body paragraphs.  2 on the Enlightenment and 1 on Pietism/Great Awakening or vice versa.  Have specific examples to back up your points.  Go back to the textbook for details.
Ideas for Enlightenment points: a) People began to look for scientific explanations or solutions for natural phenomena rather than supernatural explanations.  Examples could include Benjamin Franklin's experiments with lightning and the invention of the lightning rod or Cotton Mather advocating for smallpox inoculations.
b) John Locke encouraged people to assert their natural rights (life, liberty, property according to Locke) and advocated overthrowing leaders who don't respect those rights.
c)  Discuss deism and how it was a threat to the Christian churches' teachings and practices.
Ideas for Pietist/Great Awakening points:
a)  Pietist style of preaching compared to traditional churches' style.
b)  Taught that individuals had to make their own decisions about following God or not.  George Whitefield's revivals emphasized this.
c)  Slaves were invited to Whitefield's revivals.  Poor and illiterate whites were also welcomed.
d)  Pietists advocated for separation of church and state so that people wouldn't have to be forced to attend the established churches and pay taxes to them.  Baptist and Methodist churches became popular.
These are some ideas.  You are not limited to them.  Email me if you have other points you think would be valid and I'll let you know what I think.

9/23/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening, 1740-65").
2)  6 groups:  Oral Reports on Enlightenment and Pietist/Great Awakening Figures.
--Prep day in computer lab.  Each person in the group will be responsible for a sub-topic and prepare a sheet of bullet-point information and at least one visual (picture, map, graph, etc) to present.
--Present tomorrow.
3)  Homework:  Text, pages 121-130 ("The Mid-Century Challenge: War, Trade, and Social Conflict, 1750-65").

**3rd period finished yesterday's Graded Discussion today and turned in yesterday's Joseph Ellis writing assignment.
**Remember to show me outlines of your answers of the possible test essay questions between now and 10:00 p.m. Sunday night, either in person or by email.  Please ask me any questions about how to write a proper history essay or get my help clarifying class note information, too!  I want you to get off to a great start with your first test on Monday!
**As you study, remember to go back to your textbook for details for your essay questions.  Study your class notes especially for the short identification questions.  And make sure to look over the Goldilocks Essay scoring guide to see what you need to work on in regard to writing structure or technique.

9/22/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("The Middle Atlantic: Toward a New Society, 1720-65").
2)  Discuss/hand in "Roots" notes (2nd and 3rd period also have about 5 min. left to watch).
3)  Hand out and go over the Test 1 Prep Sheet.  I will pick one of these essay questions on the day of the test (Monday).  Prepare for all 3.  Also, look at the feedback I gave you for the Goldilocks Essay and make sure you understand the writing expectations.  Any questions you have or essay outlines you want to show me in person or by email would be a great idea.  I will continue to check my email during the weekend until 10:00 p.m. Sunday night.  For the short identification questions, study your class notes.
4) a)  Read article about historian Joseph Ellis.
    b)  Pick 1 question from the sheet provided and respond with a 1 paragraph answer.
    c)  Graded Discussion
5)  Homework:  Textbook, pages 112-115; 118-121 ("The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening, 1740-65").

9/21/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("The New Politics of Empire").
2)  Finish the segment of "Roots" we are watching on slavery during the colonial era.
--2-column notes finished and turned in today.  Should have at least 1 page.
3)  Homework:  Textbook, pages 105-112 ("The Middle Atlantic: Towards a New Society, 1720-65").

9/20/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Hand back and discuss Goldilocks Essays turned in on Friday.
2)  Notes ("The Imperial Slave Economy").
3)  Movie: "Roots" (first part).
--Take 2-column notes (at least 1 page):
a)  Specific examples of how the movie portrays Africans, and b) whites.
c)  Focus on attitudes, actions, and beliefs.  How did the slavery system work?
4)  Homework:  Textbook, pages 93-98 ("The New Politics of Empire").

**APOSTROPHE LESSON (errors will result in deducted points on essay tests):
One bear:  bear's house
More than one bear:  bears' house

Word ending in "s":  Goldilocks' problems or Goldilocks's problems
Not:  Goldilock's problems

9/17/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("The Politics of Empire, 1660-1713").
2)  Handed out and discussed information about "Writing a History Essay".
--"Goldilocks and the 3 Bears" Practice Essay.  You are practicing on a familiar, non-history topic to learn the correct format for history essay writing learned in class.  It is very important that you learn the expectations for essay writing, both for success in this class and beyond.  Staple a Scoring Guide to the back of your essay when you turn it in.  I will evaluate them and get them back to you before Test 1 on 9/27.
3)  Homework:  Textbook, pages 76-80; 84-93 ("The Imperial Slave Economy").

**Slightly shorter periods today due to a Pep Assembly at the end of the day.

9/16/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("The Indians' 'New World'").
2)  Video: ("500 Nations: Invasion of the Coast").
--Take Topical Notes:  a)  Europeans and the Inuits; b)  Jamestown and the Powhatans;  c)  Puritans and the Wampanoagas.
3)  Homework:  Textbook, pages 70-76 ("The Politics of Empire, 1660-1713").

**3rd period finished yesterday's Graded Discussion and turned in the 9/11 Writing Assignment today.

9/15/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("Puritan New England")
2)  Finish John Smith Historical Investigation and Case Study (hand in all sheets as a packet).
3)  9/11 Anniversary Writing Assignment and Graded Discussion.
--Answer 1 of the following questions with a paragraph response:
a)  Is the "war on terrorism" a war that can be won?  Explain.
b)  How much has the 9/11 attack changed our nation?  Is it comparable to the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II?  Explain.
c)  How has the 9/11 attack impacted you and/or your family's life significantly?  Explain.
--You need to share your answer with the class to get full credit for this or any other graded discussion.
4)  Homework:  Textbook, pages 61-66, ("The Indians' 'New World'").

9/14/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Notes ("The First English Model: Tobacco and Settlers")
2)  Historical Investigation and Case Study ("John Smith:  History or Hoax?")
--Several handouts are presented one at a time as we go through the activity.  Keep them in order and you will staple and hand them in as a packet at the end.
--This is another activity (like the Coin Exercise) that teaches about historiography (how historians think and do their work).
--We will finish the last part of this tomorrow.
3)  Homework:  Textbook, pages 56-61.  ("Puritan New England").

9/13/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Class notes ("Imperial Conflicts and Rival Colonial Models").
2)  10 Major Events that Shaped the U.S.
--Make a list of the 10 events in American history that you think are the most important.  Rank in order of importance.  If necessary, look at the Table of Contents of your textbook for ideas.  After grading this, I will keep this list and we will revisit it in June to see if you would make any changes to it.
--We also made group lists that were shared in class.
3)  Filled out the ERCA College Planning Profile (optional), which I will mail for you.  You will get information from colleges that match your interests post-high school.
4)  Homework:  Textbook, pages 48-56.  ("The First English Model: Tobacco and Settlers").

**We had 2nd Period Extension Schedule today for going over the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbooks in 2nd period classes.
**4th period was able to turn in their Syllabus Agreement Sheets today, since I forgot to hand them out on Thursday.

9/10/10

Today's agenda:

1)  Agreement Signature Sheets from the Syllabus are turned in today.  4th period can have until Monday because I forgot to hand them out yesterday.
2)  Our first set of class notes (Howard Zinn:  "Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress").  Hopefully you brought a large spiral notebook for taking notes.  Keep it organized by date and title of notes.
3)  Class activity:  "The Coin Exercise" (non-graded).  This activity introduces the concept of historiography (how historians think and do their research).
4)  Homework:  Textbook:  pages 40-41; 44-48 ("Imperial Conflicts and Rival Colonial Models").

**2nd period considerably shorter today due to Class Meetings.  3rd period a little shorter.
**Bring textbooks to class on Monday.  Normally, both the textbook and Blue Reader can be left at home for homework reading.
**Remember those of you who are taking I.B. tests to attend the I.B. Parent Meeting (with your parents) next Thursday night in the library from 6:30 to 9:00.

9/9/10

Welcome to Advanced U.S. History/I.B. History of the Americas!

Today's agenda:
1)  An Information Sheet was handed out and turned in.
2)  Handed out and discussed the Syllabus (course description). Please read this carefully and have your parents/guardians do the same. Keep the syllabus in your notebook for reference throughout the year.  A Signature Sheet Agreement that goes with the syllabus is due tomorrow.  This is the first classwork assignment.
3)  Checked out textbooks and handed out Blue Readers.
4)  Spent some time getting acquainted.
5)  Homework reading assignment:  Howard Zinn ("Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress") in the Blue Reader.  Always be ready for a possible Reading Quiz the next class day.  When reading articles by historians in the Blue Reader, look especially for the author's main point(s).  This is the thesis.
6)  Your first test (Test 1) is on Monday, 9/27.

**Periods were shorter due to the Welcome Back Assembly today.
**Make sure to bring a large spiral notebook to class for taking notes.  Notes start tomorrow.