September
9/28 Monday: Continued with the origins and spread of Christianity, and watched two 'Mankind: The Story of All of Us' clips. No homework, and nothing was due today either. We read and annotated a lot together, so if you were absent, please come get notes from me. Video links are ALWAYS embedded in the document itself.
9/25 Friday: No homework. We had Ancient Artifacts come present on Knights, their weapons, armour and their evolution, and knights' role in the medieval judicial system.
9/24 Thursday: Went over the answers for the Dark Ages video as a class, then students completed the timeline of the establishment of the Byzantine Empire (TCI p.43). We went over Learning Targets for Part 2 of the unit, then watched a 2 minute clip on Christianity, and then started on the first page of the Nat Geo: Christianity packet together. No homework, just Notes Check Part 1 that's due tomorrow. Reminder, Ancient Artifacts will be here tomorrow during 1st Period to present on Knights!
Dark Ages and Fall of the Roman Empire (video embedded in Document)
9/23 Wednesday: Went over Notes Check Part 1, and added the assignment 'Defining Climate Change (6 points) in between 'Rome as a Site of Encounter' and 'Climate Change and the Fall of the Roman Empire'. We also totalled the points (124 points). This packet is due Friday 9/25. Homework is to organise your notes check, and complete Legacy of the Roman Empire handout. Also, on Friday, Ancient Artifacts will be coming during 1st Period for a presentation on the evolution of Knights in the Middle Ages, which ties into Part 2 of this unit -- what happens to Western Europe after the fall of the [Western] Roman Empire?
Rome Notes Check Cover Sheets (only pp.1-2)
9/22 Tuesday: We worked on our last handout for Part I of our unit on Rome -- Legacy of the Roman Empire. We learnt that the empire was essentially divided into two: the West (Rome) and the East (Byzantium), with Rome falling in 476 CE. We looked at how ancient Rome still influences us today in language, art and architecture, law and citizenship. This is due in your notes check on Friday 9/25.
Legacy of the Roman Empire (Please use pp.41-51 in your TCI Textbook to complete the sections! If you don't have a textbook, there is an online version on Clever)
9/21 Monday: No school.
9/18 Friday: Continued working on Climate Change, Then and Now. Students did research on a cause of their choice and filled in the graphic organiser. Homework is to complete the page by Wednesday 9/23.
UN Website on Causes of Climate Change (use this as inspiration for a topic! So, if you're interested in overconsumption and climate change, you could search up 'fast fashion and climate change')
Also, just KIV that your Notes Check Part 1 for Rome is going to be due on Friday 9/25.
9/17 Thursday: We evaluated climate change in the past and present, its similarities and differences, and how it impacts human societies. We analyse how changing climates affected the Roman Empire. We will continue with research tomorrow.
9/16 Wednesday: Students worked on completing the graphic organiser on Rome as a Site of Encounter. This needs to be completed by Friday 9/17. It won't be collected until Notes Checks are due, but you need to follow along the deadlines I set so your work doesn't become overwhelming!
9/15 Tuesday: We worked on Rome as a Site of Encounter, filling in a KIM chart, and analysing primary sources. This is not homework and we'll continue with it in class tomorrow.
9/14 Monday: Common Sense Media lesson on 'Assumptions We Make', and then we read an article from National Geographic on Enslaved Peoples in the Roman Empire.
Enslaved People Built the Roman Empire -- Add two annotations, and complete the questions by Wednesday 9/16. It won't be collected because it's in the notes check but you NEED to follow the deadlines I give you for each individual assignment so your work doesn't pile up when notes checks are due!
9/11 Friday: No homework. We finished Engineering an Empire: Rome.
9/10 Thursday: No homework. We continued with Engineering an Empire: Rome.
9/9 Wednesday: Check in on Learning Targets for this new Unit. We watched some of 'Engineering an Empire: Rome' today.
9/8 Tuesday: Common Sense Media on 'Permission to Post' -- asking for consent before posting, and knowing our digital footprint. We also went over Sites of Encounters (SoE) in our Toolbox (p.5). No homework today!
9/7 Monday: No school -- Labour Day
9/4 Friday: Mindfulness activity was on Building Grit, and for the rest of class, we started our CER Assessment for this unit. The CER is due on Tuesday 9/08.
9/3 Thursday: CER review day! We used p.10 in your Toolbox, and watched this short clip on CERs. We formulated responses to these two questions: Who is the most popular Pokemon of all time (as a class), and What is the best restaurant in the Bay Area (individually). Remember to define your key words as those will guide the rest of your writing.
9/2 Wednesday: Another map work day. No homework, but take note that your Map and Notes Check will be due on Friday 9/04.
9/1 Tuesday: No homework! We continued working on our maps today.
August
8/31 Monday: We started our maps on the World in 300 CE. Students have work time in class from Monday through Thursday, with the maps being due only on Friday, together with their notes checks.
Map (Come get a larger copy from me if needed!)
8/28 Friday: No homework! We started our first unit today on The World in 300 CE with a NewsELA article, and a three-step reading worksheet. We annotated some of the article together, and also checked in on our Learning Targets for this very short unit. Nothing we did today is due until end of next week.
8/27 Thursday: Complete Facing History packet and turn it in on Friday 8/28 when you come into class. Otherwise, everything else ('Cupertino: Danger of a Single Story' + Summer Memories + Strengths colouring + Shining a Light on Strengths) is due on Monday 8/31.
Strengths Heart for Colouring (only the first page on this document)
8/26 Wednesday: We finished up presentations today. Please complete the Technology Agreement form if you didn't manage to get to it today. It is on Student Square. You'd have to download it from Mosyle School, and log in with your school credentials. They will send a verification code to your school email (use a browser since the gmail app is disabled). You will not need to add a phone number to the form! Also, just a reminder that the OER Facing History packet is due Friday 8/28.
8/25 Tuesday: No homework today! We had half the class present on their personal or family stories, and we should finish the rest of the stories and presentations up tomorrow.
8/24 Monday: Covered Common Sense Media Lesson #1 on Exploring Sources (for research), then we continued on with Facing History, talking about the new TV Sitcom on Paramount+ "Cupertino" and the dangers of a single story, and how you can be a Global Contributor. Homework is ONLY completing the interview and getting ready to present tomorrow, Tuesday 8/25! We will finish the rest of the packet in class on Wednesday.
8/21 Friday: We worked on the rest of the Facing History packet (cross out questions 1-4 on p.12; don't do those). Presentations on personal or family story begin on Tuesday 8/25. Your homework is to think about a personal OR ask your parents about a family story--you'd need to get someone to offer their perspective on your chosen story, regardless! Think of the example I went over in class about my cousin and aunt! Complete pp.13-5 in your Facing History packet as you record your story.
8/20 Thursday: We read through an article on Communication Styles, then broke up into four groups to discuss different articles on how people tell their personal or family history through different objects. We then went back to our table groups to share those stories. Homework for today is Step 6 (p.7) in your Facing History packet, to be completed by Friday 8/21.
8/19 Wednesday: Went over KMS Handbook pp.5-8 on Technology and Attendance, then gave out textbooks. If you did not get a textbook, please get one from me when you return to school. By law, you should be given a physical textbook for home, although you can also access an online version on the Clever app. Homework is to complete Facing History pp.1-6 if you haven't completed those pages in class yet, by Thursday 8/20.
8/18 Tuesday: We worked on pp.5-6. If you would like to rewatch the videos, the links are embedded in the document itself and you'd have to open the Facing History document linked below, and click on the link(s) in the corresponding section.
8/17 Monday: Complete all station handouts by Wednesday, 8/19 (3 group, 3 individual). We worked on pp.1-4 of the Facing History packet today. Please complete those pages if you haven't. We will work on pages of the packet throughout this week and the entire packet isn't due until next Friday 8/27!
8/14 Friday: Complete all station handouts by Wednesday, 8/19. There will be some work time given in class on Monday, but please print, cut, affix your selfie image, and get parental signatures for the Syllabus Scavenger Hunt handout this weekend! Basically, complete whatever you can't in school, at home. I will not be able to print images for you!
Handouts, if needed:
Station 1: (individual) - Syllabus Scavenger Hunt
Station 2: (group) - Quiz Your Classmates
Station 3: (individual) - All About Me Gazette
Station 4: (group) - Classroom Scavenger Hunt
Station 5: (individual) - Student Survey
Station 6: (group) - 6th grade History Review
8/13 Thursday: No homework. We worked on introductions and two stations today.