A quick look at what we did in the classroom each day - Start here if you are absent, but most importantly check your Google Classroom - not just assignments, but the material posted each day. I will post the classroom presentation from each day in the afternoon so you can see what you missed. For interested parents, here is where to find a better answer than the "Nothing" my kids told me when I asked the question, "What did you do today?" The day's presentation is also linked under the date.
6/18 - The finale of Remember the Titans.
6/17 - Hollywood's take on how Brown v. Board of Education (1954) is finally implemented in Virginia in 1971 in Remember the Titans.
6/16 - Students completed Mission US "No Turning Back" Parts 3 & Epilogue.
6/15 - Mission US "No Turning Back" Parts 1 & 2 - Learning about the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s with an interactive game.
6/12 - Class Trip - Canobie Lake
6/11 - Civics Review Test followed by Course Course: Student Civil Rights Activism.
6/10 - Students made a storyboard of their chosen Supreme Court case today.
6/9 - An overview of many significant Supreme Court cases testing 1st and 14th Amendment rights.
6/8 - Students prepare for a Civics Review test coming Thursday by preparing notes
6/5 - A web quest to see how the suffragists took action to gain certain rights and freedoms
6/4 - Expanding Rights Test
6/3 - Students made a timeline of events they considered important using the National Park website at the Seneca
6/2 - After the study check students worked on the timeline of Women's Suffrage.
6/1 - A close look at Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" speech
5/29 - After the study check an introduction to the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.
5/28 - A look at political cartoons and their effect on the suffrage movement in the early 1900s.
5/27 - Art and real life - We looked at Norman Rockwell's painting The Problem We All Live With and how it tells the Ruby Bridge's story.
5/26 - We finished the Ruby Bridges story today.
5/22 - An introduction the the Ruby Bridges story, looking at the effects of the Brown v. Board decision.
5/21 - Civics MCAS part 2 and a look at the origins of Memorial Day and how the holiday has changed
5/20 - A look at the Little Rock Nine and the effects of the Brown v. Board decision.
5/19 - Civics MCAS part 1 and a close up look at the 14th Amendment.
5/18 - Civics MCAS review and some friendly competition in the pod.
5/15 - Science MCAS part 2 and a first hand look at the Brown decision.
5/14 - Some review for the upcoming Civics MCAS
5/13 - Science MCAS part 1 - Continuing our look at Brown.
5/12 - A look at Brown v. Board of Education, the ruling that overturned Plessy.
5/11 - Election Day - PD Day - A look at today's ballot and a field trip to the gym to see voting in action.
5/8 - Students storyboarded the Plessy case after we looked at some of the resulting effects.
5/7 - Math MCAS part 2 - Continuing our look at Plessy.
5/6 - A look at the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling making "separate but equal" the law of the land in 1896.
5/5 - Math MCAS part 1 - Segregation Gallery walk for the classes we saw.
5/4 - May the Fourth be with you! Students experienced the Louisiana Literacy test first hand as we examine Jim Crow South.
5/1 - The last step in our Civics Project - a chance to reflect on the work done and an opportunity to help improve the project for the future.
4/30 - Today we interpreted a political cartoon about the Reconstruction era; first individually then in teams for bonus points.
4/29 - Reconstruction is today's topic.
4/28 - Some background on the Civil War.
4/27 - Welcome Back! Today everyone got a new study guide and a new rewards card and we began our study of the Civil War Amendments to the Constitution.
4/17 - Civics Project - Step 5 - Students continued putting their plan into action. For most that was composing a persuasive letter to a decision maker or creating a poster to inform, educate, or persuade.
4/16 - Civics Project - Step 5 - Students started putting their plan into action. For most that was composing a persuasive letter to a decision maker or creating a poster to inform, educate, or persuade - And backing it up with a Works Cited for the research.
4/15 - Civics Project - Step 4 - Making a Plan Part 2 - Students work out the who, what , when , where, why, and how of their civics project.
4/14 - Civics Project - Step 4 - Making a Plan Part 1 - Students used school, town and state websites to make a directory of decision makers in this first part of their plan making
4/13 - Civics Project - Step 3 - Research the Issue - Students used database resources to learn about their issue.
4/10 - Civics Project - Step 2 - Identify an Issue - students looked various issues and choose one to explore further.
4/9 - ELA MCAS Part 2 - for the classes we saw we looked at being a responsible voter though the iCivics game "Cast Your Vote."
4/8 - Civics Project - Overview - Students explore how others made a difference in a community
4/7 - Civics Project - Step 1 - Your Self and Community - an introduction to our civics project
4/6 - ELA MCAS Part 1 - for the classes we saw we looked at being a responsible voter though the iCivics game "Cast Your Vote."
4/3 - Are there limits on First Amendment freedom of speech? How about in school? Today we looked at the cases that define student speech.
4/2 - Day 2 of our First Amendment One Pager
4/1 - The start of our First Amendment One Pager.
3/31 - More background on the Hazelwood case
3/30 - Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier and does freedom of the press have constraints in a school setting?
3/27 - More on Tinker and our April News Media Chart.
3/26 - Tinker v. Des Moines - In learning about this 1st Amendment case we can practice citing source articles and finding evidence with supporting quotes.
3/25 - We examined an excerpt of a speech Justice Wilson made supporting judicial review at the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention.
3/24 - Marbury v. Madison and setting the precedent of judicial review for the Supreme Court.
3/23 - Why does the court "interpret" laws and why it's needed.
3/19 - Half Day - Review before tomorrow's test
3/18 - A focus on understanding the Bill of Rights with students paraphrasing it.
3/17 - Students learned more about the Bill of Rights in Actively Learn and had time to catch up on their News Media chart.
3/16 - The National Constitution Center's Constitution Hall Pass: Bill of Rights is our introduction to the most talked about part of our Constitution.
3/13 - We the People's Lesson 18 in Actively Learn is about the process of ratifying the Constitution.
3/12 - We marked up our rough draft of Article III and then began looking at the debate between the Federalists and the Anti- Federalists
3/11 - On to Article III with students doing their own analysis following the example created over the past two days with Article II.
3/10 - We continued diving into Article II and analyzed how a new system would make for more effective writing.
3/9 - We looked at Article II of the Constitution using a new writing system.
3/6 - SNOW DAY
3/5 - A new study guide and a quick look at Article II (more to come).
3/4 - 2 Hour Delay - Students had the full (though shortened) period to work on their slide deck
3/3 - Students start a Google slide deck to explain parts of Article I of the Constitution.
3/2 - This week we will look at the Constitution and we start at the beginning with Article I .
2/27 - A close look at the goals the Framers set for our Constitution in the Preamble
2/26 - An introduction to the Constitution and the Preamble
2/25 - Using a Webquest from iCivics students look at the goals of a constitution and what the US Constitution was meant to do.
2/24 - Snow Day
2/23 - Snow Day
2/13 - With a News Media Chart due the Friday when we return from the February break, we compared two news sources today.
2/12 - The "Creation of the Constitution" is a great review before we get ready to take a deep dive into what it actually says (after February break).
2/11 - Unit 3 Test
2/10 - The Constitution is made up of many compromises. Today students took a look at some through the iCivics game "Constitutional Compromise."
2/9 - We reviewed the legislative and executive powers as set forth in the Constitution
2/6 - A second introduction to the judicial branch (we gave some background prior to the judge visit)
2/5 - More about the executive branch with Lesson 16 in Actively Learn.
2/4 - After another study check an introduction to the executive branch with Lesson 15 in Actively Learn.
2/3 - Our first Unit 3 study check (snow delay) and some more about the legislative branch and how to pass a bill into law.
2/2 - An introduction to our legislative branch
1/30 - Lesson 14 in Actively Learn and a look at the issues in the Great Compromise today.
1/29 - PD Day
1/28 - Students learned about the Great Compromise made at the Constitutional Convention. No presentation - Substitute
1/27 - SNOW DAY
1/26 - SNOW DAY
1/23 - We examine the effects of equal or proportional representation.
1/22 - 2 Hour delay - A new and improved News Media chart with new sources introduced today.
1/21 - After an EdPuzzle about our Constitution students continued working on their study guides.
1/20 - A new study guide as we take on Unit 3 - writing our new Constitution.
1/16 - Today students gave their floor speeches and tracked agreements and disagreements to get the basics of a replacement for the Articles of Confederation.
1/15 - Students read about some of the early state constitutions to get some ideas for their state's proposal and then readied their floor speeches
1/14 - Today we voted on many issues but we still have to address what shape a government may take.
1/13 - We began our own convention out in the pod and states decided what the best course of action they would take for the good of their state and the good of the country
1/12 - The final episode of Liberty's Kids "We the People" about the Constitutional Convention of 1787
1/9 - The finishing touches applied to the Philadelphia Convention mini-poster project
1/8 - Some practice with visual representations and then students started their Philadelphia Convention mini-poster.
1/7 - Gathering information (research) for the Philadelphia Convention mini-poster.
1/6 - We had a visit by Judge Noonan of the Leominster District Court and students started to learn about a constitutional convention in Philadelphia that planned to update the Articles of Confederation.
1/5 - Welcome back and HaPpY 2026! In preparation for our visit by Judge Noonan tomorrow will looked at the roll of judges and the judiciary.
12/23 - Students met in the pod to perform a play about the Sheffield Resolves and how they connected to the Declaration of Independence, the Massachusetts state constitution, and the ending of slavery in the state.
12/22 - Students made a map of the Sheffield area in the Berkshires in preparation for tomorrow's play
12/19 - A look at how slavery was ended in Massachusetts with Liberty's Kids telling the story of Mum Bett in "Free and Equal"
12/18 - A detailed look at the transatlantic slave trade and its effects.
12/17 - A deeper look into slavery and its affects including the Nat Turner uprising and the Dred Scott case.
12/16 - A review of the gallery walk and then students created a timeline of events
12/15 - An introduction to slavery in the Americas with a gallery walk
12/12 - UNIT TEST
12/11 - A review of the American Revolution with John Green and a practice test to prepare for tomorrow's exam.
12/10 - Northwest Territory introduction.
12/9 - After tour Wachusett we return to a December/January News Media Chart.
12/8 - HALF DAY - Two members of the school committee came to talk to us about what they do and answer questions.
12/5 - Shays' Rebellion shows the weakness in the Articles.
12/4 - The Articles of Confederation featured in Liberty's Kids "Honor and Compromise"
12/3 - An intro to the Articles of Confederation after our study check.
12/2 - SNOW DAY
12/1 - Welcome back! Some Revolution review and a close look at the the requirements of the News Chart due next Monday 11/25 - Liberty's Kids and the "First Fourth of July"
THANKSGIVING BREAK
11/24 - Lesson 8 from We the People - What basic ideas about government are in the Declaration of Independence?
11/21 - Some more "Common Sense" with Liberty's Kids after interpreting quotes from Thomas Paine's pamphlet.
11/20 - A little "Common Sense." Thomas Paine's pamphlet is old school - students made it internet ready!
11/19 - The colonies are going to war. How will they be governed?
11/18 - The War for Independence has many events that call out to be arranged on a timeline - so that's what we did.
11/17 - A bit about our last ditch effort to stay British - The Olive Branch Petition.
11/14 - The Second Continental Congress had many accomplishments, but which was the most impressive? All the while there were spies...
11/13 - The Second Continental Congress meets after the events at Lexington and Concord. Students compare the change in the two congresses.
11/12 - Lexington, Concord, and the "Shot Heard 'Round the World" and the start of the revolution.
11/11 - Veterans Day
11/10 - Two accounts of the first shots at Lexington - from a British lieutenant and some minutemen.
11/7 - The class examined the First Continental Congress' "Declaration and Resolves" - a primary document - before we saw how it played out on Liberty's Kids.
11/6 - Some of the actions the First Continental Congress proposes
11/5 - A look at the "Big Ideas" our founders used in the coming Declaration of Independence and the creation of a new government.
11/4 - PD Day - No School
11/3 - In the pod for review of the "Prelude to War" before beginning our new unit and new term.
10/31 - Grades Close for Term 1 and a new News Media Chart has begun.
10/30 - iCivics and Neighborhood Good helped kids explore the next steps after discovering a problem in the neighborhood.
10/29 - Why do we make laws? What should we know before laws are made? In the pod we reviewed some of the Halloween laws they read about earlier then looked at another topic (Cheer), reviewed some problems in the sport with an eye on what could be changed to improve safety for the participants.
10/28 - News Media and Government
10/27 - What should be the rules for Halloween? Did the rules solve problems or create new ones? We looked at some cases and the outcomes in You Decide, an Actively Learn article.
10/24 - Unit 2 - Prelude to War Test
10/23 - Liberty's Kids in Episode 2 experience "The Intolerable Acts"
10/22 - The Intolerable Acts bring the colonists one step closer to war.
10/21 - The events that will lead the colonies to declare independence and the poetry that inspired many.
10/20 - Can you pick a side? Loyalists, Patriots, and the undecided make their case in iCivics' "Uncovering Loyalties"
10/17 - More tea! - This time with Liberty's Kids in Episode 1 "The Boston Tea Party"
10/16 - It's a Tea Party - the Boston Tea Party - as the colonists rebel against Parliament and Parliament reacts by imposing harsher terms.
10/15 - The Boston Massacre and differing viewpoints in art and testimony.
10/14 - The colonists react to the Stamp and Quartering Acts. A discussion of tar and feathering and threats to tax collectors.
10/10 - News Friday in the pod. Looking at bias in the news.
10/9 - The beginnings of the colonial resistance discussed.
10/8 - What was Parliament and the king doing to upset the colonists? hmmm....
10/7 - More about the rights that our Founders and other colonists would expect as Englishmen.
10/6 - The important documents in the colonists' culture that would influence their ideas about self-government
10/3 - A look at the Mayflower Compact with an EdPuzzle to match
10/2 - What makes a leader good or bad? We took a look at King John with a few Disney clips before learning about the Magna Carta.
10/1 - Lesson 6 and 7 vocabulary: Magna Carta, Parliament, Rule of Law, and Charter.
9/30 - The final part of Mission US: For Crown or Colony - playing Parts 4 and 5 then reading the epilogue to see how things came out.
9/29 - The second half of Term 1 starts with new Civics rewards cards and a new News Media Chart.
9/26 - Continuing Mission US: For Crown or Colony by playing up through Part 3.
9/25 - A chance to get caught up - Mission US Pt 1 or the News/Media Chart - both due tomorrow
9/24 - We start playing Mission US: For Crown or Colony. See how you do as Nat Wheeler, a 14 year old apprenticed to a printer in Boston.
9/23 - Some background history to prepare for Mission US: For Crown or Colony role playing game.
9/22 - News Media Monday and the first day of Fall. We matched headlines and story excerpts from last week's news after defining editorial vs news coverage.
9/19 - Unit 1 Test
9/18 - More test review including a focus on the three branches of our government.
9/17 - Lots of review for Friday's test with a copy of the open response rubric given out for students to grade their practice response. We started our using Actively Learn to change up how we access our textbook.
9/16 - After our fourth and final study check we practiced answering the open response question that will be on Friday's test.
9/15 - Mr McCarthy present to all our school expectations for the year then we returned to the classroom to work on Lesson 4 from our text.
9/12 - Presentation and discussion for our first News Friday in the pod
9/11 - After the study check and review students had some time to catch up on assignments.
9/10 - Some of the Founders ideals are wrapped up in the story of Roman consul, Cincinnatus.
9/9 - A read aloud of Lesson 2 and John Locke's political philosophy
9/8 - Hope everyone was safe after the tornado! Today was about some terms we will use often: social contract, natural rights, consent, and state of nature.
9/5 - More on the 13 colonies. We are looking at how they developed differently because of the climate and terrain.
9/4 - Our first study check using Part 1 of the Study Guide. Students then worked on a 13 colonies map and related EdPuzzle. Open House presentation is HERE.
9/3 - Lesson 1 from We the People - we pre-read by matching text blocks to headings then students worked on guided notes
9/2 - An introduction to our textbook - We the People - and some practice taking notes
8/28 - If we want to know what's going on we need to access the news. Today, we looked at finding authors, publishers, and the times when a newsworthy event occurred. Students were given their first news media chart to complete.
8/27 - Who wants to be a Citizen? We took the citizenship test in the pod for points on the NEW Civics Participation Rewards.
8/26 - Welcome to Civics! A quick overview of how our class will operate. To see today's presentation click the link under the date.