"To Thine Own Self Be True!" -- You have to know who are as a student and learner before yiou can ever begin the process of being a great student!
Monday 8/11/25
Introduce Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program. The link is here.
Icebreaker Activity - Blobs and Lines
Getting to Know One Another/What Really Is Freshman Success Anyway?
Getting to Know Dr. Causey -- introduce my website and have students read my autobiography + show slides about me.
Begin working on Student Coats of Arms - students will create their coat of arms based on a provided rubric and will feature 4-5 major things that the student considers important to them.
Tuesday 8/12/25
Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program
Begin looking inward -- about YOU -- How are you in school? What drives you? Likes, dislikes? Grades - important to you? OR do you still need to be convinced?
GRIT inventory -- this inventory helps students understand their level of grit. It is good to be able to understand one's ability to tough out situations or give up. Here is the link to the grit test.
We will also watch Angela Duckworth's TEDTalk on grit. The link for the TedTalk is here.
We will also complete the Enneagram personality test together -- The site to access the enneagram test is here: https://www.truity.com/test/enneagram-personality-test
Add anything to your draft for your Coat of Arms today (your Coat of Arms will be your FIRST MAJOR GRADE for Freshman Success, so plan well).
Wednesday 8/13/25
Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program
Notes on extravertism and introvertistm and how these personality traits both have positive aspects.
Meyers-Briggs Personality Inventory -- this inventory tests whether students are an extrovert or introvert along with several other personality elements. Students will complete and save their results
The Myers-Briggs test link is here.
Finish Coats of Arms projects and turn in to be graded as a major grade
Thursday 8/14/25 -- I will not be here today or Friday due to moving in my dear daughter to Anderson University
Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program
Students will work on Hillcrest HS Website Scavenger Hunt. The scavenger hunt is on paper and students will use the school's website as a resource for their answers. If students need to complete their Coat of Arms, they may do so and will know where they are located.
Friday 8/15/25
Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program
Students will begin composing their written autobiography. Students will have a rubric to use for guidance and writing expectations. Students will also handwrite their essays in order for me to be able to see their writing and learn their writing abilities as they are beginning high school level courses.
The student autobiography instructions are here
Monday 1/18/25
Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program
Hang Coats of Arms, continue working on autobiography if needed
Go over HHS Scavenger Hunt answers + open notes quiz
Split into groups of three to go out and acquire signatures of important people in HHS. Groups will be staggered to prevent overload of people giving signatures.
Tuesday 8/19/25
Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program
Introduce SMART goals with the article here and have students create two short term and two long term goals. Students will take notes on what a SMART goal is first.
Also introduce the class text -- Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey and daily reading quizzes.
Begin personal mission statement project. Students will be provided a template they can use or modify. The purpose of this project is to help students understand their personal mission for high school and to incorporate their strengths, passions, goals, inventory results from last week into how they can accomplish their short and long term goals.
Wednesday 8/20/2025
Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program
Continue working on Mission Statement project + daily reading from Seven Habits with reading quiz.
Thursday 8/21/25
Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program
Daily reading in Seven Habits and review Smart Goals
Finish Mission Statement and turn in to Google Classroom
Friday 8/22/2025
Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program
Daily reading from Seven Habits+ reading quiz
TEST REVIEW on SMART Goals/Seven Habits/inventories/HHS scavenger hunt details
Finish Mission Statement project TODAY and turn in to Google Classroom -- today is the last day to turn in Mission Statement without any point deductions!
Monday 8/25/2025
Fast Five (bellringer) and World from A to Z news program
TEST on SMART Goals/Seven Habits/inventories/HHS scavenger hunt details
Present Mission Statements to one another in groups.
"What Will I Ever Do in Life?!"
Tuesday 8/26/2025
Fast Five and World from A to Z
Begin Career Unit today -- We will be using the following internet sites:
https://www.16personalities.com
Wednesday 8/27/2025
Fast Five and World from A to Z
Thursday 8/28/2025
Fast Five and World from A to Z
Friday 8/29/2025
Fast Five and World from A to Z
Monday 9/1/2025
Fast Five and World from A to Z
Tuesday 9/2/2025
Fast Five and World from A to Z (turn in today!)
Wednesday 9/3/2025
Fast Five and World from A to Z
Thursday and Friday 9/4/2025 and 9/5/2025 - watch movie Gifted Hands - the Ben Carson story. Students will write a three paragraph essay featuring two aspects -- Ben Carson's grit and unwillingness to give up and the reason why school was important for him growing up and what made him change.