"IF YOU DON'T KNOW HISTORY, THEN YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING. YOU ARE A LEAF THAT DOESN'T KNOW IT IS PART OF A TREE."
-MICHAEL CRICHTON
-MICHAEL CRICHTON
Welcome to my website! If there is any information you need to know that is not on this website or in the syllabus then please email me at lauren.gray@nhcs.net. Please be patient in waiting for a response as emails will be answered only during school hours.
MRS. GRAY'S GOALS
First and foremost, I want each and every student that walks into (and eventually out of) my class to learn the academic content. In my World & American History classes that happens through thematic learning instead of chronological learning.
In World History we will focus on big themes that help students understand global connections between different groups at various points throughout history. The themes we will cover are:
00) Historical Thinking Skills
01) Culture and Identity
02) Government and State Building
03) Economic & Technological Development
04) Movement, Diffusion, and Exchange
05) International Conflict and Cooperation
01) Culture and Identity
02) Government and State Building
03) Economic & Technological Development
04) Movement, Diffusion, and Exchange
05) International Conflict and Cooperation
In American History will be focusing on those same five themes to understand how those same ideas played (and still play) a role in the development of our nation.
In addition to just learning the academic content it is my goal for students to apply the information to their own lives and the world around them. Students will learn to think critically about historic and current topics from multiple viewpoints in order to learn more about themselves as well as people who have different beliefs, perspectives, and experiences.
Finally, I hold the high expectation that all of my students take charge of their learning and GROW during their time with me. There will be many points throughout the semester where students may feel like they want to give up because the work will be challenging. That is the time to reach out and self-advocate, to complete additional research, to form study groups, etc. I want everyone to finish the course as a stronger student than when they came in.
The calendar above is used by the 9th Grade Team at WECHS for assignments, upcoming tests or quizzes, and other class information. World History entries will always start with "WH" and American History entries will start with "AH." Be sure to click on the entries for further details because there are plenty there! Please check this calendar FIRST before e-mailing if you are absent or if you simply forget.
Who inspires you? It's a question I was often asked to write about in my school years. My answer was always "Papa." The video to the right is an interview of my Papa, given a year before he died, detailing his experiences as a prisoner of war held by the Japanese during World War II. He was a Marine, a teacher, a published author, a lover of history, and one of the greatest men I've ever known. He is one of the biggest reasons that I love history as much as I do. So, take a look at the video to learn a little more about an amazing man and his experience during WWII. If you're particularly nerdy and would like to read his books, they are; "Behind the Barbed Wire: Memoir of a World War II U.S. Marine Captured in North China in 1941 and Imprisoned by the Japanese Until 1945," "The United States Marines in North China, 1894-1942," and "When Papa Was a Boy: During the 1920's and 1930's." (Yes, I'm shamelessly plugging his books, I'm a proud granddaughter!)
papainterview.mp4