Post date: Nov 11, 2014 8:22:38 PM
Happy Veterans Day Room 29 Parents and Kids!
This is the last of the 3 updates that I will send to you regarding the social studies intensive on the constitution, and I appreciate that many of you have read it and replied with input and comments. Your kids have done well. I appreciate that they have been flexible and supportive as we have delved into a topic new to most of us, and have worked hard to learn new things and respond positively to what I have asked of them.
Since I wrote to you last (10/24) the class has been getting deep into the constitutional amendments. Each kid chose one, or a portion of one (list), and researched many things about it (see list at the bottom of this email), and then presented their findings in an informative and interactive presentation. I scored the kids on various scales (link) and those scores will be posted on PowerSchool by Wednesday morning. I'm not sure what other things, if any, Mr. Dowling will add to the gradebook before report card printing time, but if your student's grade is not what you and they want, then please browse this page on my site that explains how to redo assignments.
After each kid presented their topic, they wrote two multiple-choice questions that anyone who experienced their presentation should be able to answer. Those questions (or my modifications thereof) will comprise a test that I will give them tomorrow. On the homework page I posted a link to each kid's research/presentation document as well as the question stems themselves. Please remind your kid to take a look at those and understand each (or contact the author or me).
There are other less measurable outcomes of our 6.5 weeks together, including an understanding that every issue is surrounded by various "sides", levels of passion, and degrees of complexity. Few are simple and most are worthy of personal understanding, political awareness, and sometimes even discernible action. Not to mention, of course, that I may have influenced a few kids to watch (and understand) some West Wing episodes in their entirety (I only showed scenes and explained context as they applied to our discussions at hand).
So, this brings me to tomorrow. Sean and a bunch of others are hoping that, after the test, they can have a bunch of free time and some food. If any of you (kids or parents) are willing to help out in this endeavor, please take a look at this page and add something that you can bring by filling out the form with the gingerbread dudes on top.
Thanks again for reading and I want you to know that room 29 is a wonderful bunch of kids and I hope that they had a good time and learned a lot during this intensive.
Chris Heumann
Things to be included in students' amendment presentations:
its exact text,
an understandable translation,
its historical context,
a real or fictional story about someone influenced by the amendment,
and its effects on life today.