This week's I cans...

• Research a historical figure and summarize their life and accomplishments in my own words. 

• Work collaboratively with a group to accomplish a goal. 

Almost to the end folks! 

Monday, we will take the Reconstruction quiz. Here is the study guide. After that, we will start the Gilded Age and our Happy Meals Project. Your group (or just you if you prefer) will design a Happy Meals box and toy line to highlight the life of an important person from the Gilded Age or Industrial Revolution. We're going to lump both Industrial Revolutions into one here, to save some time. This is really a great time to showcase your ability to take your research and put it into to your own words and thinking. Here is the more detailed instructions: Happy Meals Project, and they will also be shared with you on Classroom. Here is the link to the slides we will go over as a class, slide 3 includes examples from previous years. Most of Monday will be spent organizing into groups and picking our historical figures. 

In addition to the grade, I will also host a voting for the top project. I will order in McDonalds for lunch for the winning group next week. To be considered for the voting, your project must be turned in on time, and not include any plagiarism or AI. 

The rest of the week will be work time for you and your group to work on your projects. Reminder: you DO NOT need to go buy anything for this project. This is a great opportunity to upcycle any broken toys or other materials around your house. Friday will be a work or watch, to finish up any remaining tasks before we start the voting process on Monday! 

This week's I cans...

• Present what I have learned while researching my Passion Project. 

• Describe the effects of Reconstruction decisions and policies. 

Most of this week (Monday-Wednesday) will be devoted to presenting our Passion Projects. Reminder: this is a hard deadline, once your name is called to present you will be graded on what you have done. Make sure everything is ready to go! 

Thursday and Friday we will finish out the notes for Reconstruction. Because all the classes will be in different spots because of presentations, it's hard to say what slides we'll get through on each day. If you're going to miss, I recommend just filling in the rest of your notes to be on the safe side. 

• Here is a link to the fill in the blank notes for the unit, or you can grab some from class. 

• Here is a link to the presentation. 

I'm hoping we will be able to take the quiz for Reconstruction on Friday, but it will all depend on how long Passion Project presentations take. If we do, here's the study guide. 

This week's I cans...

• Describe the problems facing the nation at the end of the Civil War. 

• Describe the various policies put in place during Reconstruction (ex: Lincoln's goals, Johnson's plan, Reconstruction amendments, etc.)

Now that the war is over, it's time to get into the Reconstruction Era. 

• Here is a link to the fill in the blank notes for the unit, or you can grab some from class. 

• Here is a link to the presentation we will use throughout the week. 

On Monday, we'll get started with notes and hopefully get through the 13th amendment (slides 1-13). 

Tuesday, we'll briefly discuss the assassination of Lincoln and take a virtual tour of Ford's Theater. The notes are on slides 14 and 15, and the virtual field trip will be on Classroom, or you can make a copy of it by clicking here: Fords Theater Virtual Field Trip.

Wednesday, we'll continue on with notes, focusing specifically on Johnson's presidency (slides 17-25). 

Thursday, we'll catch our breath a little bit from notes and complete a Newsela assignment. I would like you to read one of the articles that will be posted to you on Classroom (or are available here: Reconstruction Newsela), and fill out the Newsela Article Reflection (it is a paper copy that you'll get in class, but a digital version is available here). Any remaining time you have today can be spent catching up on your virtual field trip). 

Friday, we will continue our notes with our discussion of the 14th and 15th amendments (slides 28-33). If we have any remaining time, we will practice presenting our Passion Projects to our peers. 

Reminder: Passion Projects are due next week! Make sure everything is complete! 

This week's I cans...

• Review for the Civil War final test. 

• Analyze primary sources to answer historical questions. 

This week is mostly devoted to reviewing for the test which will be Friday. Reminder, the study guide is posted on Google Classroom, and retakes will not be allowed unless the study guide is complete. Here is a Blooket I used last year. It is not exactly the same as your test, but would be a helpful way to review if you would like. Your Guts and Glory packets are also due on Friday, and late submissions will not be accepted. 

There is no school Monday. 

Tuesday, we will be reviewing with Mrs. Beck's class. If you miss, I will post the review here after we complete it in class. 

Wednesday, we'll practice using primary sources to answer historical questions. There will be nothing to make up if you are gone. 

Thursday, we'll have a work or watch day. We will be watching America, the Story of Us as a way to review. This will also be the last in class work day for your Passion Projects. Use this time to work on them if you need to. 

Friday is your test, and your packets are due. 

This week's I cans...

• Analyze Lincoln's Second Inagural Address. 

• Analyze primary and secondary sources to answer historical questions. 

• Describe the condition of the Confederate military at time of surrender. 

• Identify the issues the United States faced at the start of Reconstruction. 

Short week this week, but it'll be busy. And, we will finally reach the end of the war. Here are the reflection questions and notes for this week.

Monday will be devoted to Chapter 17 and 18. The reflection questions are available on this slideshow.

Tuesday, we'll read Chapter 19 and spend sometime analyzing Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. Please be sure to read through slides 4 and 5 and do the reflection questions for the chapter. We will be doing a Close Reading of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address as well, today. If you are gone, please complete the close reading. If you do it digitally, just share your copy with me. 

Wednesday we'll discuss Sherman's march. It is covered pretty heavily in the chapter, but please check through slides 6-10 as well. There are videos on slides 6 and 8 that are helpful as well. We will also begin our discussion of total war, and get back to our civil discourse standard. Here is the assignment we'll be completing: Total War C.E.R.. Read through the information on slide one (you may need to zoom in if doing this digitally), paying close attention to evidence for or against total war. You can also use slide 10 on the notes to help you. Then, draft a response to the question:
Is Total War justified?" on slide two. Remember, for full credit you need to take a stand (make a claim), support it with evidence from the text or notes, and explain why your evidence supports your point. There is an example on slide 11 in the notes. You can either do this digitally and share your response with me, or write it on a peice of paper and turn it in. 

Thursday, we'll read Chapter 20 and finally finish the war with the surrender at Appomatox. If you miss, be sure to read the chapter and do the reflection questions on the slides for this week. The author, weirdly, doesn't even touch on the assassination of Lincoln, despite it being a pivotal moment in U.S. History. Be sure you watch the video on slide 15 about it, as it will come up again and again as we discuss Reconstruction. The video on slide 17 is only slightly related to our book, but is an interesting look at how we are constantly changing our understanding of history. Any remaining time we have on Thursday will be time to catch up or work on your Passion Projects, which are coming due soon!

No school Friday, or next Monday. Enjoy your break! 

This week's I cans...

• Decribe the contributions of the 54th Massachussets to the war. 

• Explain the significance of Morgan's Raid, Sabine Pass, and the Overland Campaign. 

This week will be a fair amount of reading as we narrow in on the end of the Civil War. All the reflection questions for this week are available here. 

Monday, we will read Chapters 11 and 12. Please complete these chapters on your own if you miss, and do the reflection questions.

Tuesday, we will read Chapter 13 together, then a small group activity with chapter 14. If you miss, please complete the Chapter 14 Picture and Description Sort, but you can skip the picture part, as those were done in class. 

Wednesday, we'll do Chapters 15 and 16. If you miss, please do the reflection questions. 

Thursday will be a catchup day to work on any chapters you missed or work on your passion projects. 

Friday, we will be having Space Day on our team. There will be nothing to make up. 

This week's I cans...

• Describe the purpose and significance of the Underground Railroad. 

• Describe some of the locations on the Underground Railroad and how they helped enslaved people reach freedom. 

This week will be a bit of a funky schedule week due to state testing. To keep everything easy, we will be working on an Underground Railroad Virtual Field Trip all week. It will be posted on Classroom as well. Please make sure you bring headphones to class! 

This week's I cans...

• Describe the Battle of Gettysburg and explain its significance. 

• Identify rhetorical devices in the Gettysburg Address. 

• Read and respond to text. 

• Make progress on my Passion Project. 

A good portion of this week will be devoted to the Battle of Gettysburg. Monday, we will read Chapter 10, do our reflection questions, and briefly discuss the Gettysburg Address. Here are the slides from the day: Chapter 10 slides. If we have time, we'll dig a bit deeper into the Gettysburg Address with this assignment: Gettysburg Address Close Reading. Here is a transcipt of the speech if you need it. 

Tuesday, we'll do an in class activity with the Battle of Gettysburg. If you are gone, you'll have an alternative assignment. It is available here: Sketch and Tell: Gettysburg.

Wednesday, we'll get a bit spooky and dive into some of the ghost stories from the Civil War. Then, we'll create our own! Here is the ghost story graphic organizer we will fill in to organize our thoughts. 

Thursday, we'll take our ideas from the graphic organizer and put them into paragraph form. Your final writing will be due next week, Monday. 

Friday is our catch up and Passion Project day. 

This week's I cans...

• Describe the Battle of Antietam, and explain how it led to the Emancipation Proclamation. 

• Describe the Battles of Chancelorsville and Brandy Station. 

• Read and respond to text. 

• Make progress on my Passion Project. 

All the notes and reflections questions for Chapters 7-9 are available here.

No school on Monday! 

Tuesday, we'll get into the bloodest day in American history-The Battle of Antietam which is a huge turning point in the war. Please make sure you look through slides 1-13 on the notes and watch the videos if you are gone. You can make up the chapter on a catch up day. 

Wednesday, we'll wrap up anything we may need to with the Battle of Antietam and get into the Battle of Chancelorsville. We'll also dive in to some of the Civil War medicine. See the notes for the reflection questions, and some info on Civil War medicine. 

Thursday, we'll do Chapter 9 (reflection questions are in the notes) and take our first half test. 

Friday is our catch up and Passion Project day. 

This week's I cans...

• Describe the of Shiloh and explain its significance. 

• Describe life for prisoners of war during the Civil War. 

• Read and respond to text. 

• Make progress on my Passion Project. 

On Monday, we will do a brief Chapter 1-3 review, then do some more work with the Battle of Shiloh. If you are gone, here is the link to the review. As we discuss Shiloh (which was chapter 3 in our book), we'll focus on the sensory details of the battle-which will be good practice for when we get into Antietam and Gettysburg. We will watch a brief video from American Battlefield Trust (available here) to refresh our memories of the battle, then do a creative writing assignment, available here: Shiloh Creative Writing. This will be due on Tuesday. 

Tuesday, we will read Chapters 4 and 5 in our book. If you are gone, you will need to make up the chapters in homebase or during a catchup day. The reflection questions are available here: Chapters 4-6 reflection questions.

Wednesday, we will discuss life for prisoners of war, and take a virtual field trip of the Andersonville POW camp. We'll start with watching this video. Then, you'll have time to virtually tour Andersonville POW camp. The worksheet that accompanies it is available here: Andersonville Virtual Field Trip. If you are gone, you can write your answers on a blank sheet of paper. 

Thursday, we'll discuss Robert E. Lee, and read Chapter 6. The reflection questions are available here: Chapters 4-6 reflection questions. 

There is no school on Friday. Enjoy spring break! 

This week's I cans...

• Describe the First Battle of Bull Run/Manassas, the Battle of Hampton Roads, and the Batte of Shiloh. 

• Read and respond to text. 

• Make progress on my Passion Project. 

I will be out on Monday for meetings all day. You will be watching, America: The Story of Us. If you are gone, there is nothing to make up. 

Tuesday, we will read the first chapter of our novel which is about the First Battle of Bull Run/Manassas. Here are the slides we will go over that accompany it: Chapter 1 Notes and Relection. If you are gone, you will need to read the chapter on a catch up day or during homebase, and do the responses (on the slideshow) that go with it. 

Wednesday we will read Chapters 2 and 3. If you are gone, read the chapters during a catch up day or homebase and do the responses in your Guts and Glory packet: Chapter 2 and 3 notes and reflection.

Thursday is our ski trip.

Friday is a catchup and Passion Project work day. 

This week's I cans...

• Describe the regional differences between the 3 regions of Antebellum United States. 

• Compare the advantages and disadvantages of the North and the South at the start of the Civil War. 

• Pick a topic and begin preliminary research on a Passion Project. 

Monday, you will start by doing a short writing about what you think the most influential event was on the road to the Civil War. Here is the instruction slide (Influential Event Writing). Then, we will do a brief overview of the 4 main causes of the Civil War. Here are the notes we'll go over. Then, we will do a reading on the regional differences in antebellum United States. Here is the reading we will do (Regional Differences Antebellum).

Tuesday, we will be down in the library exploring books and resources avaiable to you for your upcoming Passion Project. If you are gone, there is nothing to make up, but you should devote some brain power to thinking about a Civil War related topic you might want to research throughout this unit. Here are the slides I will show to introduce the project: Passion Project Introduction Slides.

Wednesday, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages each side had at the start of the war. Here are the slides we'll go over and there will be a comparing sides assignment posted on Classroom. 

Thursday, we will spend some time exploring the novel we'll be using for the Civil War and read the Introduction chapter. If you are gone, you'll need to read the chapter on a catch up day or in Homebase. 

Friday is a catchup and Passion Project work day. 

We've been building up to it all year, and now we're finally getting in to the Civil War unit. This week will be focused on the conflicts that will eventually build up to lead the nation to war. 

This week's I cans...

• I can define important terms, people and places related to the Civil War. 

• Analyze the causes and effects of the events leading to the Civil War. 

• I can evaluate the influnce of the main events leading to the Civi War towards the eventual outbreak of war. 

There is no school on Monday. Enjoy President's Day! 

Tuesday, we'll go over the terms and people from the People, Places and Vocab assignment you did last week. If you miss, please make sure you have the correct definitions. Here is the key to double check if you have everything correct.  If you would like a chance to review the terms, they are available on the class quizlet here. 

Wednesday, we will do a small group activity where you will be teaching your classmates about major events on the road to the Civil War. There's going to be a lot of information covered today, but if you miss here is a website I've created in previous years that covers the topics and  this video covers a good chunk of what we'll discuss. 

Thursday, you'll think critically about each event on the road to the Civil War and determine which events you think were the most important. To start, you'll need to rank the following events based on their importance (with 1 being the most important and 9 being the least important): 

• Missouri Compromise

• Wilmot Proviso

• Compromise of 1850

• Uncle Tom's Cabin

• Bleeding Kansas

• Dred Scott Case

• Harper's Ferry Raid

• Lincoln-Douglas Debates

• Election of 1860

Then you will complete a Pie and Sketch assignment (click the hyperlink for more detailed instructions). It's basically a variation of sketch notes in which you give more space in your pie chart the events you think are most important. Each event, and a visual representation to help you remember what it is, must be on your pie chart, but it'll be up to you to determine how much space each one gets. At some point next week, you will need to explain your reasoning, but for now you can just focus on getting the sketch notes done. Remember, if you missed Wednesday and don't have the info for these events, check out Wednesday's post for all of the extra links. 

Friday, we will do a brief overview of the 4 main causes of the Civil War. Here are the notes we'll go over. Then, we will do a reading on the regional differences in antebellum United States, to prepare for a region map. Here is the reading we will do (Regional Differences Antebellum), and the second slide will help you prepare for a map project we'll do next week. Once you're done with the reading, you'll have time to continue your Pie and Sketch or any other things you need to wrap up for the week. 

This week's I cans...

• I can summarize the conflicts created by Westward Expansion (ex: extension of slavery, effects on Native Americans, Mexican American war). 

• I can define important terms, people and places related to the Civil War. 

On Monday, you'll show off what you know about Westward Expansion by creating a Go West Magazine cover. Here are the instructions, or they will be available on Classroom. 

Tuesday, we'll discuss how Westward Expansion led to increased conflicts with Indigenous Nations and tensions over slavery. Here are the slides we'll go over. Be sure to read the article linked on slide 5. Remember, to get into Newsela, you need to click Login with Clever, then Login with Google. 

Wednesday, you'll have a Webquest related to the Mexican American war assigned to you on Classroom or you can find it here: Mexican American War Webquest. Be sure to follow the links embedded within the Webquest! 

Thursday will be time to catch up on anything you may need to wrap up before we end our Westward Expansion unit. If you're all done, we'll be watching America: The Story of Us while we work. You don't need to make it up if you're gone, but it's a great series and is available on Youtube here. 

Friday, we'll be starting our Civil War unit. There are a handful of important terms, people and places you'll need to be aware of for the unit, so we'll start with a Civil War People, Places and Vocab assignment. If you are gone and don't have access to a printer, you can write your reponses on a separate sheet of paper, and just do the map portion when you return. 

If you would like a chance to review the terms, they are available on the class quizlet here. 

This week's I cans...

• I can research a topic related to Westward Expansion and present my information to the class. 

This week will be mostly focused on our Westward Expansion presentations. 

Monday will be a day to finish up anything you need to finish up for your projects. 

I will be absent a couple times this week, so presentation schedules will look different depending on what hour you are in. 

• Periods 3-5 will present Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday, you will have an Oregon Trail Virtual Field Trip posted to you on Classroom. Or it is available here: Oregon Trail Virtual Field Trip. 

• Periods 6-8 will present Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Friday you will have an Oregon Trail Virtual Field Trip posted to you on Classroom. Or it is available here: Oregon Trail Virtual Field Trip.

If you do not finish the Virtual Field Trip in class, we will have a catch up day next week Thursday (2/13). 

This week's I cans...

• Describe some of the difficulties Lewis and Clark faced on their exploration of the west. 

• I can research a topic related to Westward Expansion and present my information to the class. 

This week is going to be a busy one! 

We'll start on Monday with a quick simulation of the Lewis and Clark adventure, to see how you would fared on this journey. The presentation will be shared with you on Classroom or is available here: VFT Lewis and Clark slides, and the worksheet you'll need to accompany it is here: VFT Lewis and Clark Tracker. You will need to view the presentation in slideshow mode for the links to work. 

Tuesday, we're going to start our next big group project. You and your groupmates will become experts on a particular aspect of traveling west (ex: specific trails, diseases and hardships encountered, etc.). You will create a 15-20 minute lesson that you'll teach to your classmates to share the information you found. Introduction slides are available here and more detailed instructions will be on Classroom. Tuesday will be primarily focused on picking groups, topics, and filling out your statement of intent (which will also be posted on Google Classroom). Wednesday-Friday will be work days. You will have Monday of next week to wrap up any loose ends, and presentations will be Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Resources for the group project: 

• Rubric

• Instruction slides

• Statement of Intent

This week's I cans...

• Analyze and compare perspectives from the Trail of Tears. 

Short week this week, with no school on Monday and Tuesday. Enjoy your break!

Wednesday, we will take a deeper look in to the Trail of Tears. You got a brief introduction to it during the Old Hickory or King Andrew activity, but we'll spend more time exploring the personal aspects this week. We will start by reviewing the decisions of Andrew Jackson, focusing specifically on the Trail of Tears. Here are the notes from today. We will read this primary source together as a class: A Soldier's Perspective of the Trail of Tears. Reminder, when you log into Newsela you will need to click log in with Clever, then log in with Google. Please respond to the questions on Newsela. 

Thursday, we will start our Descriptive Moment in Time assignment. Here is the link to the instructions: Descriptive Moment in Time. They will also be posted on Classroom. Here are some examples from previous years.  You will have Thursday and a majority of Friday to work on it. 

Friday will be a work or watch day. You can finish your Descriptive Moment in Time, or watch a documentary on the Trail of Tears. If you are gone, please turn in your Descriptive Moment in Time when you return. 

This week's I cans...

• Describe the course and consequence of the War of 1812. 

• List and describe the reasons that Americans moved west. 

• Illustrate and label a map identifying trails, land aquisitions, and major geographic features related to westward expansion. 

We got a bit behind last week, so we will do the self guided Doodle Notes this week on Monday and Tuesday. They will be posted on Google Classroom and will be due on Wednesday. 

Wednesday, we'll start our Westward Expansion unit. After a brief introduction (notes available here) we will begin a map assignment. If you are gone, you will just need to get the map when you come back. 

Thursday will be a work day for your map assignment. 

Friday, we will do a reading and discussion on Andrew Jackson. If you are gone, please complete this version: Old Hickory or King Andrew. You will not be able to do all o fthe read and discuss, but please at least do your response. 

This week's I cans...

• Use civil discourse to answer our essential question: Was Thomas Jefferson a good president?

• Describe the course and consequence of the War of 1812. 

Monday, we'll dive deeper into Thomas Jefferson's presidency, specifically looking at his foreign and domestic policy. Here are the notes we will go through, and here is the link to your skeleton notes that you'll be filling out. I don't think we'll get through all the notes on Monday, but the goal would be to make it to Marbury vs. Madison. 

Tuesday, will be a special schedule due to the CHS and Career Center tours. We will be playing a Civics Test review game, there will be nothing to make up. 

Wednesday, we'll pick back up with our notes from Monday. You'll also complete a short civil discourse writing to answer our essential question: Was Thomas Jefferson a good president? Here is the link to the digital version of the assignment in case you miss class: Thomas Jefferson Civil Discourse.

Thursday and Friday you will do some self guided Doodle Notes. They will be posted on Google Classroom, and are due Monday. 

Extra resources for this week: 

• Vocab Review Quizlet

• Thomas Jefferson, Counfounding Father-This is a longer video, so we won't be watching it in class, but if you choose to watch it, and reference it in your civil discourse, you will recieve extra credit. 

This week's I cans...

• Use vocab strategies to define terms related to our New Nation unit. 

• Describe major issues our nation encountered during its first few years (Washington-Jefferson presidencies). 

Hope you all enjoyed your long break! We're back at it this week with our (short and sweet) New Nation unit. 

Thursday, we will work with some of the vocabulary for this unit. Our main goal will be to practice using vocab strategies to determine the meanings of unknown words, but we'll also be covering some of the important events of this time period. The link to the vocab assignment is available here: New Nation Vocab. 

Friday, we will go over the terms in better detail and discuss the key events within them (XYZ affair, Non-Intercourse Act, Whiskey Rebellion, Alien and Sedition Acts, and the Treaty of Ghent). Here is a link to the notes we will use if you miss class. 

Resources for this week: 

• Review Quizlet

This week's I cans...

• Share what I've learned about the Constitution.

This week is all devoted to finishing your Constitution projects. You'll have Monday-Thursday to work on your projects. Friday is the big day where they'll be presented! In case you lost them, here's the resources for the week: 

• Overview powerpoint that was shared with all students. 

• Choice board of activities

• Project planning guide

• Detailed explanations, rubrics and resources for all projects

This week's I cans...

• Explain each amendment of the Bill of Rights in my own words. 

• Apply the Bill of Rights to current events. 

Monday, we will finish up the movie from last week. There is nothing to make up. 

Tuesday, we will do a brief overview of the Bill of Rights to make sure you have the right information in your foldable. If you are gone, here are the slides from our class discussion. There will also be an article shared with you on classroom or available here that we will read together to apply the Bill of Rights to current events. If you are gone, read through the article and fill in the first column of the CER worksheet, available digitally here. Please make a copy of it to fill it in. 

Wednesday, we will be meeting with the Phoenix kids to discuss our upcoming Constitution Day projects. There is A LOT of information to unpack here, but the jist of it is that you will be creating a variety of projects to showcase your understanding of the Constitution. Resources are below:

• Overview powerpoint that was shared with all students. 

• Choice board of activities

• Project planning guide

• Detailed explanations, rubrics and resources for all projects

Thursday, we will finish the the CER worksheet from Tuesday, and have time to work on your projects. 

Friday is a project work day. 

Extra resources: 

• Bill of Rights in plain English breaks down each amendment into more modern terms. 

• The Bill of Rights in Real Life videos from the Bill of Rights Institute do a good job of breaking down how each of the amendments work for average citizens. 

This week's I cans...

• Describe how the Bill of Rights was created. 

• Explain each amendment of the Bill of Rights in my own words. 

Monday, you will be reading through The Making of the Bill of Rights, which is available digitally here. The link will also be on Classroom. There is a worksheet that will accompany the reading. If you are gone, here is a digital copy: Making of the Bill of Rights Worksheet. You can fill it out digitally and share it with me. 

Tuesday, we will 

Extra resources: 

• Bill of Rights in plain English breaks down each amendment into more modern terms. 

• The Bill of Rights in Real Life videos from the Bill of Rights Institute do a good job of breaking down how each of the amendments work for average citizens. 

**I am posting for the next two weeks on this post, as I will be out the week of the 25th. **

This week's I cans..

• Describe the differing viewpoints of the Federalists and Anti-federalists. 

• Explain each amendment of the Bill of Rights in my own words. 

On Monday, we will discuss the ratification process for the Constitution, as outlined in Article 7 of the Constitution. The ratification of the Constitution was a long process, full of debate, and led to the formation of our nation's first political parties: The Federalists and the Anti-federalists. Here is the Federalists and Antifederalists interactive slideshow that you'll be working on in class. It will also be posted on Classroom. 

Tuesday, we'll review the Federalists and Antifederalists and test your knowledge with a Kahoot. If you are gone, I highly recomend playing the Kahoot at home so you can gauge your understanding. Here's the link to the Kahoot. We will also, briefly, talk about how political parties have morphed and changed throughout our countries history. Here are the notes if you are gone. You won't be tested on modern political parties, but it's good information to know. 

Wednesday, we'll do some more practice with civil discourse. We will be reading some articles about the Federalists and Anti-federalists to determine if they were out of touch with political realities or insightful about the issues that would plague the United States. If you are gone, here is the alternative assignment: Point Counter Point Alternative. You can fill it out digitally and share it with me, or write your answers on a separate sheet of paper. 

Thursday, we'll get started with the Bill of Rights, which was the compromise made to convice the Anti-Federalists to ratify the Constitution. You will create a foldable in class, then use your pocket Constitutions to put each amendment into your own words. If you are gone, here are the instructions for setting up the foldable. Label each flap, "first amendment", "second amendment", etc. and put your definitions in the corresponding section inside. 

Friday is our team day!

I will be out the 25-27th. You will be watching National Treasure in class and completing a few activities. The activities are linked here: National Treasure Worksheets. You do not need to see the movie to do the activities. If you don't want to print them out, you can write your answers on a separate sheet of paper. 

Extra resources: 

• Bill of Rights in plain English breaks down each amendment into more modern terms. 

• The Bill of Rights in Real Life videos from the Bill of Rights Institute do a good job of breaking down how each of the amendments work for average citizens. 

This week's I cans..

• Explain how the US government uses checks and balances to keep a balance of power. 

• Identify and define key phrases in the Preamble to the Constitution. 

• Describe the six main goals of the Constitution according to the Preamble. 

There is no school on Monday. 

Tuesday, we will complete the Webquest we planned to do last week. The Webquest is available here: Checks and Balances Webquest. If you are gone, you should be able to just type your answers in on iCivics and submit it through there. If not, here is a copy of the worksheet: Checks and Balances Webquest Worksheet we'll be filling out in class. You can write your answers on a separate sheet of paper if you do not have a printer at home. 

Wednesday, we will go over the webquest and make sure everybody has the correct infromation. Here are the notes from the day in case you missed. The biggest thing is making sure you understand what each branch does, and how they can check eachother. See the extra resources below if you still need help with this! 

Thursday and Friday will mostly be devoted to the Preamble of the Constitution. The Preamble is an important part of the Constitution, because it outlines the goals of the Constitution and, in turn, our government. We'll start by tackling some of the tricky terms in the Preamble. Here is the chart we will use to keep track of our information. If you are gone, you can just fill in the last column, and here are the notes for it. You will also get a Preamble scramble assignment on Wednesday, but you will need to pick that up from the extra copies drawer if you are gone. 

If you need extra resources, here are some great options!

• iCivics has a Constitution Explained video series that does a great job of breaking these topics down. 

• iCivics also has a checks and balances game, if that's more your style. 

• Or Sheppard's software has a review game, too. 

• Here is a review Quizlet. 

• This is a link to a Crash Course on Checks and Balances. 

• And lastly, here is a handout I've used in previous years that summarizes the main points for you. 

This week's I cans..

• Describe the powers granted to each branch of the government by the Constitution. 

• Explain how each branch can check the other branches. 

Looks like we need to spend a little longer going over the Constitution and the branches of government. So this week will be a bit of a Branches Bootcamp. 

Monday, we'll take another look at the Legislative Branch. We will read through Congress in a Flash and practice marking the text. Then you'll use that information to answer the questions on page 3 and 4. If you are gone, you can answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper. Here is a good video to use if you're confused by things: The First Branch: Congress and the Constitution. 

Tuesday, is election day! What better day to discuss the executive branch? We'll read through: For the President, All in a Days Work. Again, if you are gone, read through the information and make notes either in the margin or on a separate sheet of paper. You can write your answers for the second page on a sheet of paper if you need to.  

Wednesday, we'll tackle the Judicial Branch, using the same process as the last few days. Here is the article and worksheet we will complete: Judicial Branch in a Flash. Please read through the information and jot down notes or key points in the margins (or on a separate sheet of paper if you don't have a printer at home.) Also, if you don't have a printer at home, you can just write your answers on a sheet of paper. For the crossword, don't bother trying to recreate the boxes, just write the answers on your paper. 

Thursday, you will complete a checks and balances Webquest. The Webquest is available here: Checks and Balances Webquest. If you are gone, you should be able to just type your answers in on iCivics and submit it through there. If not, here is a copy of the worksheet: Checks and Balances Webquest Worksheet we'll be filling out in class. You can write your answers on a separate sheet of paper if you do not have a printer at home. 

If you need extra resources, here are some great options!

• iCivics has a Constitution Explained video series that does a great job of breaking these topics down. 

• here is a handout I've used in previous years that summarizes the main points for you. 

• This YouTube video is a little on the basic side, but gives a good broad overview of everything. 

This week's I cans..

• Describe the powers granted to each branch of the government by the Constitution. 

• Explain how each branch can check the other branches. 

• Use lateral reading to find credible information about a topic. 

• Engage in a civil discourse. 

Monday, we will discuss what each of the three branches of the government does, and how they work together. We will go over these notes in class: Branches of Government notes and fill out this organizer: Branches of Government Exit Ticket. Please ignore the fact that the organizer says exit ticket, we'll be using it as notes instead. If the notes are tricky for you to follow, here is another handout that may be useful, or here is a YouTube video that breaks it all down for you as well. 

On Tuesday, we will begin our Government Superheros project. The instructions will be posted on Classroom, or are available here: Superhero instructions. Basically, you are showing what you know about one of the branches of government (you can pick which one) and how it relates to the other branches. If art isn't your thing, you could also consider using Canva's character creator to create a cartoon with the same information. 

Wednesday, we will continue working on the superheros project. If you finish, try out the iCivics game Branches of Power. Take the pre and post test if you would like to earn extra credit! The link will be on Classroom on Wednesday. Extra credit is due by Friday, at 3:20. 

Thursday, we'll take a break from the branches of power to have a discussion of our Candy Bar election candidates. If you are gone, there will be nothing to make up. 

Friday, we will do a partner activity to check your understanding of the 3 branches of government. If you are gone, rather than trying to make it up with a parnter, please just take this Google form: Branches of Government Check. 

This week's I cans..

• Describe the events leading to the Constitutional Convention. 

• Explain the compromises included in the Constitution. 

• Use primary sources to answer historical questions. 

I will be out on Monday and Tuesday of this week. You will be watching America: The Story of Us while I am out. If you are gone, the episodes are available online here: Rebels and Revolution. You aren't required to watch them, but they're a great resource if you'd like them. 

Wednesday, we'll do a brief introduction to the Constitutional Convention, and begin looking at the Constitutional compromises. If you miss, here is a good summary of the notes: Constitutional Convention Notes, and here's a review video from PBS, featuring our good buddy, Ben Franklin. Next, we'll divide into groups to learn more about the 3 compromises and present our findings to the class. If you are gone, here are the passages we will read: Constitutional Compromises Reading. And here is the organizer we will fill in: Constitutional Compromises Wkst.. Update (11/6): If you are still missing the Constitutional Compromises worksheet, please read and answer the questions on this document instead. 

Thursday, we will continue with the compromises organizer from Wednesday, and use that to analyze primary sources. We will interpret these quotes from the time period: Compromises Quotes, and determine which quotes are about which compromises. 

Friday, we'll do our First Chapter Friday. Then, we'll do a quick review of the three compromises. Here's the review blooket if you are gone and want to try it out. Then, we'll do a Constitution scavenger hunt to explore a bit more of this important document. 

This week's I cans..

• I can define vocabulary terms related to the Articles of Confederation. 

• I can identify the major grievances from the Declaration of Independence, and explain how those grievances were addressed in the Articles of Confederation. 

• Explain why the Articles of Confederation failed. 

Short week this week! What better time to talk about the short-lived Articles of Confederation? :) 

On Monday, we will do a brief introduction to the Articles of Confederation. Here are the notes slides you will miss if you are gone: Articles of Confederation Intro. Then, you will work on defining some of the key terms related to the Articles of Confederation. You will be given this list of vocab terms in class: Articles of Confederation Vocab and will need to find the definitions for each term. Then, you will create a Blooket or Kahoot, or similar review game with the terms to share with your classmates. The games will be played on Wednesday. 

Tuesday, you will have two assignments shared with you on Classroom. One is to watch a video and answer questions about it on a Google form. Then, there is a Webquest on the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Make sure you read the information that is linked on the Webquest slides to answer the questions correctly. 

Wednesday, we'll spend a little time playing eachother's review games, then do a simulation with the Articles of Confederation. If you are gone, there will be nothing to make up. 

No school Thursday or Friday. Enjoy your fall break! 

This week's I cans..

• Use civil discourse to explain my reasoning on a question. 

• Describe the major battles of the American Revolution. 

• Describe why the British surrendered at Yorktown. 

TEST IS THIS WEEK FRIDAY!

On Monday, you will present your Battle of the Battles project to the class, and view your classmates work. There will be a notes organizer for you to fill in as you view the other presentations. We will also do a brief reflect and discuss, to get our brains warmed up for civil discourse. The template we will use is available here: Reflect and Discuss-American Revolution. If you are gone from today, please fill out the top portion (you can do it digitally), and if possible, discuss with a friend or family member to get their perspective for the notes section. 

Then, you will do a written version of civil discourse by responding to the following question: Which battle is the most important battle of the American Revolution. Remember, civil discourse means you take a stand (ex: I believe the most important battle is....), provide evidence (ex: This battle is important because...), listen to other persepectives (ex: Sally said that the Battle of _______ is more important, but I disagree because....). If you are gone, please write your response on paper and bring it in when you return. If you are gone, and didn't have a chance to converse with your classmates you can argue against the fact that historians claim Saratoga i the mots important battle, because its victory led to an alliance with France, as your alternative viewpoint.  

Wednesday we will discuss the battles of Trenton, Saratoga, and Yorktown as well as the winter at Valley Forge in more detail. The notes are available here (Trenton through Yorktown notes). We will fill in a timeline as we discuss. There will be a paper copy available for you in class, but here's the digital version in case you are gone. (Create a Timeline Notes Organizer). 

Thursday we will do a graphing activity for the Battle of Yorktown to better illustrate why the British surrendered. If you are gone, it is available here: Graphing Yorktown. Reviews will also be posted on Classroom for the Revolution test. 

Friday will be your test. After you finish your test, you will have time to explore BeWashington.org, which is a fun look at the legacy of our first president, and gain some insight into his leadership style. 

This week's I cans..

• Describe the grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence.  

• Use reliable sourses to research an assigned battle, paying close attention to key details and significance to the war. 

• Prepare a presentation which will be given to my peers on Monday, October 7th. 

This week will be focused on the Declaration of Independence and the major battles of the American Revolution. 

Monday, we will discuss the Declaration of Independence. Here are the notes you will miss if you are gone: Declaration of Independence Notes. Since you won't have a textbook at home, you can access the Declaration from the US Archives here. Also, a reminder, that all Mission US extra credits are due at 3:20 on Monday afternoon. Go here: Mission U.S. to play the game, and email me a screenshot of your final results. 

Tuesday, we'll work with the Declaration in more detail. There will be a Declaration in plain English assignment posted to you on Classroom. 

Wednesday, we'll dive into the battles of the American Revolution. We'll start with doing a map reading practice, available here: American Revolution Battles Map. You will also start working on a research guide for on of the battles of the American Revolution. The guide is available here: Battle of the Battles Research Guide. You can choose any of the following battles: 

• Battle of Lexington & Concord 

• Battle of Bunker Hill 

• Battle of Saratoga 

• Battle of Yorktown 

• Battle of Cowpens 

• Battle of Trenton 

• Battle of Monmouth 

• Battle of Brandywine 

• Siege of Charleston 

Thursday and Friday will be time for you to work on your battles presentations. Instructions and guidelines are available here: American Revolution Battles Project Instructions. Rubric is available here: American Revolution Battles Project Rubric. You may choose to work with a partner, but research must be done on your own, and I must see clear evidence that both members of the team worked on the final project. 

Extra Credit Opportunity: The American Battlefield Trust has created a site that allows you to read about first hand accounts during the American Revolution. Pick one or two stories to read and fill out this notes organizer: ABT Experience Notes for 10 points extra credit. Finish by Monday, Oct 7th at 3:20. 

This week's I cans..

• Describe the impact of the battles of Lexington & Concord, Bunker Hill, and Dorchester Heights. 

• Read & interpret historical documents (Common Sense) to determine meaning and historical significance. 

• Differentiate between patriots and loyalists. 

Short week this week as we do not have school on Monday. 

Tuesday and Wednesday, we will take a virtual field trip to the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The assignment will be posted to you on Classroom. Please take the time to read all of the directions and complete all the tasks. If you have extra time in class on Wednesday, I encourage you to check out Mission U.S.. It is kind of like a choose your own adventure game, that puts you in Boston during the build up to the Revolution. If you choose to play it, email me a screen shot of your final result for some extra credit! 

Also on Wednesday will be your Road to Revolution quiz. This will include questions from your notes, as well as the vocab. Both reviews are available on the class Quizlet. There is also a review Blooket here.

Thursday, we will discuss the battles of Bunker Hill and Dorchester Heights, as well as the Second Continental Congress and Common Sense. The notes from today are available here if you miss class, but don't worry about copying anything down. We'll focus more on the impacts of these battles than the specifics-make sure you watch the video on slide 3 to understand the importance of the battles! We will also read an article as a class (The 2nd Continental Congress and Common Sense) and practice annotating it to answer the questions. 

Friday, we do our First Chapter Friday, wrap up any loose ends from the week, and play some review games. 

This week's I cans..

• I can describe the main events on the Road to the American Revolution. 

• I can use civil discourse to discuss an issue. 

After a great field trip on Friday, we are getting back into our Road to Revolution! 

On Monday, we will continue on with our Road to Revolution notes. Our goal will be to get through the Sons of Liberty section. If you are gone, please watch this video and fill in the notes. We're also going to practice analyzing some primary sources with the Sons of Liberty Image Analysis assignment. It will be posted on Classroom, or you can click the link to see it. You will need to do some zooming in to see all the pictures, or you can click the links in the post on Classroom. Remember to use P.O.S.E.R.S. to help you analyze historical photos! 

Tuesday, we will continue discussing the Sons of Liberty by reading this article: American symbol returns from obscurity: Boston's Liberty Tree. You will need to log in with Google or Clever to be able to view it. If you are gone, please use that article to fill in the Son's of Liberty section of your notes. We'll also start practicing civil discourse.  If you miss class, please watch this video to get an idea of what civil discourse is. 

Wednesday we will have a mini-debate about the Sons of Liberty, and there will be a writing assignment posted to classroom with it. We will also spend some time discussing the Boston Massacre and filling in that portion of your notes. If you miss, this is a fairly good video on the Massacre from the American Battlefield trust and here are the notes. You will need to view it in presentation mode to be able to see the last side correctly. We will also do a gallery walk with some of the images from the Boston Massacre and compare different perspectives of the event. If you are gone, all of the images are available here: Boston Massacre Gallery Walk. You don't need to do the activity on Docs Teach, but make sure you look at the images and note how both sides portray the event very differently. 

Thursday, we will try to get through the rest of the notes. They are available here if you miss class. We will also practice close reading and highlighting using this article: The First Continental Congress. If you are gone, make sure you read it and answer the questions (on a separate sheet of paper is fine if you don't have a printer) and turn them in when you return. 

Friday, we will wrap up any remaining notes that we need to finish and do some review of the Road to Revolution. There will be a quiz sometime next week on these events and the vocab terms. 

This week's I cans..

• I can define essential vocabulary related to the American Revolution. 

• I can describe the main events that lead to the American Revolution. 

• I can summarize the cause and effects of the attacks on September 11, 2001. 

On Monday, we will watch a Crash Course on the French and Indian war. It is available here. The key things you'll want to remember are that a) the war happened, b) it cost a lot of money, and c) the British were involved. You'll also want to pay special attention to the 4 effects of the war, but we will be discussing these as a class on Thursday, too. Thenwe will get started with some important vocab related to this unit. There will be a vocab assignment posted to you on Classroom. You will need to anazlye a picture (use the POSERS guide from last week to help you if you need!), define the terms and find pictures for them. We will go over these terms on Tuesday. 

Tuesday, we'll review the terms to make sure all our definitions are correct, practice on Quizlet, and do some hexigonal thinking with the terms. It will be posted on Classroom. 

Wednesday, we will take a break from our Road to Revolution discussion to talk about September 11th, and it's impact on the United States. If you are gone, there will be nothing to make up. 

Thursday, we will start notes on the Road to Revolution. You will recieve a print out to fill in as we go through the notes.  Here is a copy of the printout if you'd like to get a head start or misplace yours. If you miss class, there will be a copy of the notes clipped to the board, or you can watch this review video. 

Friday is our big field trip to Medora! Remember to pack snacks, water and life saving meds if you have them. Dress for the weather and to be active!

This week's I cans..

• I can identify the 3 regions of the 13 colonies and their main economic activities. 

• I can identify the 3 main reasons for European conquest in the New World. 

Short week this week! We will finish up our study of the 13 Colonies this week. Expect a quiz on Thursday!

Tuesday we will dive deeper into mercantilism and it's lasting effects, specifically slavery. Here are the notes we will go over. We will also have a worksheet that goes with it. A digital copy is available here. If you are gone, you can complete it digitally, then share it with me or email it to me. Alternatively, you could write your answers on a sheet of paper and turn it in to the trays. 

Wedesday, we'll do some review and finish up any loose ends from this unit. Here is a link to the content review and here is the link to the vocab review. 

On Thursday we will take our quiz, then practice being historians using the P.O.S.E.R.S. strategy. 

Friday we will do First Chapter Friday, and begin our (short) discussion of the French and Indian war by reading an article in class together.  If you are gone, the article and writing assignment that accompanies it are available here.

By the way, if you are interested America, the Story of Us is a great series that covers major events in American history. The first episode (available here) does a wonderful job of showing the early years as America, and the road to the American Revolution. It's worth a watch if you're interested. If you watch it, fill out this worksheet and turn it in for extra credit. 

This week's I Cans...

• I can differentiate between the 3 regions of the 13 colonies, paying special attention to their geographical, political and social features. 

• I can read a secondary source and determine the main idea and supporting details. 

We are going to set the stage for our discussion of the American Revolution by getting to know the 13 colonies this week. 

On Monday, there will be a vocabulary assignment assigned to you on classroom. It is due Tuesday. 

Tuesday, we will go over each term and make sure we have the correct definitions.If you miss class, you can find my slideshow here.

Wednesday, we will do a close reading on the 13 colonies, and start organizing our information into a PEGS organizer. This is the article we will be reading in class. If you don't have a printer, you can just answer the questions on a sheet of paper. Here's a copy of the organizer you will miss. The resources to use to complete it will be posted on Classroom. 

Thursday, we'll do a gallery walk to get a more in depth look at each of the colonies. If you are gone, the information can be found here and the worksheet to complete is at the end of the document. If you don't have a printer at home, you can just write your answers on a separate sheet of paper. 

We'll wrap things up on Friday with an in class activity and some review. There will be nothing to make up if you are gone, but here is a link to the review if you want to practice your vocab. 

This week's I Cans...

• I can explain the rules and procedures for the classroom. 

• I can read a secondary source and determine the main idea and supporting details. 

This week will primarily be spent getting to know each other and going over policies and procedures. Please make sure you have read through the syllabus and returned the signature sheet (slide 3 on the presentation-you only need to do one half) as soon as possible. 

Friday, we will kick off our year with First Chapter Friday. Then we will do some close reading practice with this article. If you are gone, please just read through the article and identify the main idea. These readings will be more complex as we move through the year, but for now we're just practicing close reading of academic texts.