November 24-28

THANKSGIVING BREAK

HOMEWORK: Thanksgiving break extra credit assignment posted in g-class.

Friday, November 21

GOVERNMENT ON TRAIL: THE PALMER RAIDS

Students put the American government on trial by looking at the efficacy and reasoning behind the Palmer Raids as a response to the Red Scare. 

CLASSWORK: Students were given a worksheet to complete as they rotated around the room, examining six different primary sources. Then, as an exit ticket, students wrote an SAQ answering the key question of the assignment.

HOMEWORK: Thanksgiving break extra credit assignment posted in g-class.

Thursday, November 20

COMMUNISTS OF TRAIL: EMMA GOLDMAN

Students put communist and anarchist Emma Goldman on trial for deportation. During the Red Scare, many communists were brought into jails and hearings based on their views, which dissented from the government's during World War I and after the Russian Revolution of 1917. 

CLASSWORK: Student were given a document set and tchart to help them determine whether or not Emma Goldman was guilty and in need of deportation.

Wednesday, November 19

WWI SAQ

Tuesday, November 18

GREAT WAR REVIEW

Students reviewed the lesson material throughout their chapter on World War I. This covered key content on American involvement, Woodrow Wilson's policy, the home front, and American propaganda. This was all to prepare them for the following day's SAQ. They also received a study guide for the following day's SAQ.

CLASSWORK: Students played a review game through GimKit.

HOMEWORK: Study for the WWI SAQ on Wednesday.

Monday, November 17

AMERICAN PROPAGANDA: THE POSTER WAR

Students examined the impact of American propaganda during World War I and how George Creel and Woodrow Wilson sought to persuade the American public to join the war effort. The students then completed a virtual gallery walk, examining various period propaganda posters from WWI, and analyzed them through the featured questions. SLIDES.

HOMEWORK: Study for the WWI SAQ on Wednesday.

Friday, November 14

THE HOME FRONT: FOOD, SPEECH, AND MILITARY

Students were assigned to read from the textbook and answer questions based on the events occurring on the Home Front. This included the wartime agencies established, like the food administration, the booming workforce, the selective service, and the role of women in the military. 

CLASSWORK: Students were assigned this material to complete, which was due at the end of the period. They worked in small groups or by themselves.

Thursday, November 13

THE HOME FRONT: WILSON'S DECLARATION

Students analyze seven experts of Wilson's 1917 Declaration of War speech to Congress. The purpose of this activity was to help expose students to a primary source, but also to get them to think about the connection between Moral Diplomacy and Wilson's desire to support Europe during WWI.

CLASSWORK: Students walked around the classroom in a gallery walk, examining various excerpts from Wilson's speech. At each station, they summarized the passage, defined a hard-to-read or confusing word, and by the end, they summarized all they had read in one word.

Wednesday, November 12 

SIMULATION: IN THE TRENCHES

Students took the imaginary roles of soldiers on the Western Front during WWI. They came into class and immediately took their seats. During the simulation, they were making ammunition, playing "Steal the Bacon," and reading a news article from the French Press. The purpose of the simulation was to help "soldiers" understand some of the conditions that occurred during WWI and the different motivations that caused the War to persist.

Tuesday, November 11 - No School Veterans Day

Monday, November 10

WWI: THE BEGINNINGS OF A GREAT WAR (part 2)

Students picked up where they left off on the Great War. They examined how the war began and how Americans became involved, initially through economic means and eventually through military action. SLIDES

CLASSWORK: Students were given a vocabulary assignment to choose a word from a provided set. Using the textbook, they wrote the definition, used it in a WWI contextual sentence, drew an image, and then wrote a question for the class to answer. After students completed this, they went around and answered at least 4 questions on their classmates' work.

Friday, November 7

SAQ & WWI: THE BEGINNINGS OF A GREAT WAR

Students had their Imperialism SAQ. They were given 15 minutes to review their cheat sheet and study with partners. Then they had 25 minutes to complete their SAQ assessment by answering the 3 questions. After all students were finished, they were introduced to World War 1 and how it began by the one driver taking a wrong turn in Serbia. SLIDES

Thursday, November 6

IMPERIALISM REVIEW: INVESTIGATING THE IMPOSTERS

Students reviewed the lesson material throughout their chapter on Imperialism. This covered key content on the Spanish-American War, the Philippine War, the Panama Canal, and the various types of early 20th-century diplomacy. This was all to prepare them for the following day's SAQ.

CLASSWORK: Students played a review game through GimKit, where they had to answer questions related to the content to earn points and investigate who was an impostor in their spaceship.

Wednesday, November 5

THE EFFECTIVE USE OF AI

Students were guided through the practical and ethical use of AI as they participated in the RUSD Pilot program to develop guidelines for AI usage among students. Students learned what AI is, how to effectively use AI, and how to write prompts that will generate better AI output. SLIDES

CLASSWORK: Students completed this prompt organizer to show they understood the essential pieces of and AI prompt.

Tuesday, November 4

DIPLOMACY: BIG STICKS, DOLLARS, AND MORALITY

Students observed the three guiding diplomacies that steered America through imperialism: Roosevelt's Big Stick Diplomacy, Taft's Dollar Diplomacy, and Wilson's Moral Diplomacy. After the short lecture on diplomacy and imperialism (SLIDES), students rotated around the room, examining various documents and cartoons that captured the essence of each president's diplomatic approach. As students went around, they filled out a Venn diagram highlighting the goals, pros, cons, and overlaps of each method. 

Monday, November 3

SAQ SKILLS: WRITING LIKE A HISTORIAN

Students practiced their SAQ writing skills through the CER Framework. Students watched as Mr. Parry worked through several prompts and laid out various claims, evidence, and facts that supported what students had learned. Then, the students came up with CER short answers to answer questions. Lastly, students completed three SAQ prompts independently using the provided sentence frames. SLIDES

CLASSWORK: Students completed this packet of prompts with their neighbors and individually after working on the prompts with Mr. Parry.

Friday, October 31

IMPERIALISM: CANALS AND WARS

Students had the remainder of the day to complete their art project. If they completed, they had a video to watch and answer questions to.

Thursday, October 30

IMPERIALISM: CANALS AND WARS

Students came into class and answered the discussion question posted on the board with their partners. Then Mr. Parry delivered a lesson on the Panama Canal, Spanish American War, and Philippine War. Students were given the choice to complete a project on the one of the three events through a digital or hand drawn cartoon, propaganda poster, or interactive timeline. SLIDES.

Wednesday, October 29

INTRODUCTION: AMERICAN IMPERIALISM

Student's began the class period with the option to earn extra credit if they presented their art projects from the previous day. Then they began a new unit by discussing American imperialism and understanding the expansion of American responsibility and power. They watched Uncle Ben's speech to Peter Parker about the idea that with great power, there must also be great responsibility. The class then looked at multiple scenarios of American Imperialism and analyzed whether America had used its power responsibly or irresponsibly. As students rotated the scenarios around, they grabbed a sticky note, wrote their idea down, and explained why. They then placed their sticky note on the board under the category they felt most fit. They closed the class with an exit ticket where they answered if Uncle Ben was right and if America was using its power wisely overall. SLIDES.

Monday, October 27

UNIT PROJECT: ARTWORK FOR THE (INDUSTRIAL) AGES

Students started their final project for the unit, where they needed to recap the topics of the Industrial Revolution, including immigration, industrialization, problems of the age, and the Progressive Era. Students recapped what they covered by watching a video and summarizing the key content of the era. They were then tasked with drafting their graffiti artwork for the following day's art project.

Friday, October 24

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM PROJECT: YOU'RE A MUCKRAKER

Students completed their muckraker project and turned it in by the end of the period.

Thursday, October 23

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM PROJECT: YOU'RE A MUCKRAKER

SLIDES Students were given a project where they became muckrakers and investigated one of four issues (racial inequality, women's suffrage, environmental conservation, Prohibition). In class, they began their research on the topics by utilizing the videos and primary source packets provided for the various issues.

CLASSWORK: Students began the research on their topics and answered three questions: 1. What was the problem? 2. Who was most affected? 3. What reforms are underway? Their answers were due by the end of the period.

Wednesday, October 22

SOLUTIONS: LABOR, IMMIGRATION, & TRUSTS

SLIDES Students researched the Progressives' solutions to major problems of the Industrial Revolution. The analyzed 12 solutions to 4 problems (3 solutions each; child labor, adult labor, immigration, and robber barons). Once students completed their slides on their solution, they had to summarize one solution from each of the four problems and then select a solution that they found was most effective for solving an issue.

CLASSWORK: Completing a slide with a solution to the problems, and then summarizing the solutions and arguing for one that is found to be most effective (worksheet).

Tuesday, October 21

THE PROGRESSIVE ERA: NEW IDEAS DESIGNED TO FIX PROBLEMS

Students were told a story of a small town and its story of progress. This story aimed to highlight how students connected the core ideas of progress as the solution to the flaws of the Industrial Revolution. They were then taught about the the Progressive Era ideal of the Social Gospel and Social Darwinism. These two ideas introduce "solutions" given to solve the Industrial Revolution's problems. Students did a gallery walk and assessed the differing perspectives on the different philosophies.

CLASSWORK:  Gallery walk of primary sources. Students were to fill out a T-Chart that helped students conceptualize the different philosophies.

HOMEWORK: "Flaws of the Industrial Revolution" for those who did not complete in class.

Monday, October 20

INDUSTRIALISM: THE GOOD AND THE BAD

Students were reminded of the Central Question of the unit and how it is woven into the age we're studying but also the whole essence of the American experience.  We discussed "the pursuit of happiness" that is in the Declaration of Independence and the life each student is living "to pursue a better life, a happier life" and the way this has compelled immigrants to come into the country, looking for work both in the Industrial age and today.

Then, students viewed a short video (see here) that covers and reviews some of the big ideas of the Industrial Age and its impact on workers, children, business and consumers.

The balance of the time was given to finishing up the project that you have been working on.

CLASSWORK:  "Flaws of the Industrial Revolution" - can work in partnerships. Due at the end of the period.

Friday, October 17

LABOR UNION PROJECT DAY

Thursday, October 16

LABOR UNION PROJECT DAY

Wednesday, October 15

BUSINESS ON STRIKE: THE RISE OF LABOR UNIONS

Students were given their in-class project on labor unions. They also looked at the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor and their contributions to the rise of labor unions.

Tuesday, October 14

IN CLASS BETTER LIFE PRESENTATIONS

Monday, October 13

IN CLASS PROJECT DAY

Friday, October 10

CHILD LABOR IN AMERICA

Students studied Child Labor in factories and created their own pieces of art that captured various sentiments of child laborers.

Thursday, October 9

THE JUNGLE

Student analyzed excerpts from The Jungle and learned about the terrible working conditions in the factories and the unsanitary practices that occurred in American meatpacking houses.

Wednesday, October 8

IN-CLASS PROJECT DAY

Students were given the whole class period to work on the Better Life Project. Students had to complete an organizer and turn it in at the end of the period in order to demonstrate they had begun working and researching the different areas of their project.

Tuesday, October 7

TITANS OF INDUSTRY: The Robber Barons

For this project, students in Mr. Parry’s U.S. History class were tasked with creating a Fakebook page for one of the Gilded Age’s robber barons—Carnegie, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Fisk, or J.P. Morgan. Each student selected a baron, researched their life and business practices, and then developed a creative profile that included a short biography, lists of six influential friends and six rivals, and a series of four historically informed posts—two longer text-based updates reflecting the baron's views, and two shorter, image-based promotions or reactions. The project challenged students to synthesize key dates and controversies into realistic social media-style posts, using primary and secondary sources, while also thinking critically about business power, public perception, and labor issues in the era. Whatever was not finished in class was to be completed for homework.

Monday, October 6

INDUSTRIAL INVENTIONS DAY 2

Students continued working on their choice boards and took an assessment at the end of the assignment to analyze how the expansion of technology in the Industrial Revolution led to/or did not lead to a better life for Americans. The remaining class time was spent dedicated to the Better Life multimedia project.

Friday, October 3

INDUSTRIAL INVENTIONS DAY 1

Student began working on their Industrial Inventions choice boards, where they looked at and analyzed six inventions of the Industrial Revolution. This project is due on Monday, Oct. 6, by the end of class.

Thursday, October 2

SIMULATION: Parry's Productive Paper Factory

Students participated in Parry's Productive Paper Factory, learning the stages of industrialization, and America moved from a time of craftsman to mechanization. This simulation illustrates the progression and advancement of labor and technology during the Industrial Revolution.

Wednesday, October 1

INTRO TO BIG BUSINESS: Overview of the 1880s

Students were given an overview of Big Business in the Industrial Revolution covering topics like big oil, robber barons, and new technologies. They were then given a primary source packet to allow students to see firsthand accounts and inventions of the period.

Tuesday, September 30

DISTRICT ASSESSMENT 

Students had the period to work on the RUSD assessment.  Extra time, if applicable, was devoted to working on your project

Monday, September 29

DISTRICT ASSESSMENT: REVIEW

Students went over their previous test from Monday 09/22. Then, they proceeded to look over the content and skills necessary for the District Assessment. 

Friday, September 26

CHINESE EXCLUSION: DARK TIMES IN THE WEST

Students had a brief overview of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the trials it made Chinese immigrants and Chinese American hop through during their migration process. Students then had an in-class assignment that was to be completed through Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK: Finish the assignment given in class; Due Monday 09/29 by 2:25 PM.

Thursday, September 25

ASIAN IMMIGRATION: THE GROUP THAT WENT WEST

Students looked at Asian Immigration as Chinese and Japanese Americans came to the West Coast to find homes and jobs in industries like mining, agriculture, and railroads. Students also did a gallery walk analyzing the various primary sources around the room to determine if they were from a nativist or pro-immigration perspective.

Wednesday, September 24

EASTERN AND SOUTHERN EUROPEAN IMMIGRATION: THE LARGEST GROUP EVER (TO THAT POINT)

Students looked at European Immigrants and their push and pull factors for coming to America. Topics such as nativism, living conditions, and Ellis Island were addressed. Students were also introduced to their unit project.

Tuesday, September 23 (Mr. Parry Teaching from this point forward)

INTRODUCTION: WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR A BETTER LIFE?

Students were introduced to the next unit and were given a brief overview of the topics that will be discussed over the next month.