Welcome to 8th Grade!
In 2023-24, I am teaching 8th grade Social Studies and English Language Arts (ELA).
We will conduct guided inquiries, do lots of reading and writing, interview some New Mainers, and have a chance to explore history within our surrounding community.
IMPORTANT 2023-24 INFORMATION:
3. Parent Survey: Parents and guardians, tell me about your student so I
can help with their learning
4. Student Survey: Tell me about yourself and your interests!
5. Briggs Work Assignments: Can only be accessed by students enrolled in these classes (using school email address). We will set up these accounts when laptops are distributed. You do not need to access Google Classroom before then.
A. Google Classroom ELA
B. Google Classroom Social Studies
6. Class Schedules -- Check your student Power School portal
A Bit About Ms. Briggs
I grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina so don't be surprised if you hear me speaking Spanish! After attending Middlebury College and MIT, I worked as a city planner for 15 years. My husband was in the U.S. Coast Guard at the time so we moved all over the country. Eventually, I went back to graduate school to get my teaching degree, and from 2007-2011, I taught at Brown Elementary School in South Portland. I've taught at CEMS since then.
I live in Cape Elizabeth with my husband and a friendly golden retriever named Captain. Our three adult daughters went to Cape schools and come home frequently to visit.
In my spare time, I enjoy biking, kayaking, skiing, berry-picking, cooking, and reading. I also love to travel; I have had a chance to do some teaching in Guatemala and to travel from the Andes Mountains to the Mediterranean basin to Scandinavia. This year, I'm looking forward to doing some exploring closer to home as the 8th graders and I embark on an investigation of history in our own back yard.
What Will We Study in 8th Grade?
WE ARE ALL AMERICANS
We hope to explore two big questions this year:
"How have we grown as a nation?”
“What are the ways that we tell stories about ourselves
as a people?
The first question will largely be addressed as students study migrant experiences during nine historical periods of US History, while also making connections to related Maine history and current events. In the ELA component of our class, students will examine the different ways in which we tell our stories, including oral story-telling (podcasting and traditional), multimedia artifact displays, documentary and non-fiction writing, novels, poetry, movies, and argument writing.
The threads of the two classes come together in Unit 7, a field research unit, where student pairs will conduct ethnographic research, interviewing a New Mainer and picking their own story-telling method to share these stories at a community Celebration of Learning event.
Course Objectives:
Students will learn about and understand the historical, economic and political context for various external immigration, forced migration and internal migration movements within the US between 1600 and 2021.
Students will be able to identify patterns in im/migration experiences and policies over time, make connections to local Maine history and current events, and develop their own understanding of the American experience as it has evolved over the past 400 years.
Students will learn to analyze primary and secondary sources (including maps, photos, personal writing, and official documents) and delve into the stories of different migrants to both develop the skills of historical analysis and a broader understanding of the diverse perspectives of the migrants who have helped shape American society.
Students will develop greater community awareness and motivation to take community action by making connections between the past and current events, as well as developing a personal relationship with a recent immigrant to Maine.
Students will work closely with an adult mentor from Cape Elizabeth who will help them to hone the skills of interviewing, ethnography writing, multimedia presentations and public speaking.
Students will explore and experiment different ways to tell stories using oral traditions, written text, audio and visual elements, 3-dimensional objects and drama.
Field Research Unit: New Mainer Ethnographies
