The Thrash Times

Week of November 9, 2009

7th Grade

Essential Question: Why are people attracted to certain regions in which to live?

How does the physical geography of Africa contribute to its culture?

Learning Goals: Understanding location of features and places in Africa.

Learning Activities:

Monday:

• Complete Physical and Political Map of Africa
• Reviewed Africa Geography questions and Geoterms
• Quiz tomorrow on Africa Geography terms and questions

8th Grade

Essential Question: How has Georgia’s Constitution evolved to meet the needs of its citizens?

Learning Goals: To gain an understanding of the development of the Constitution.

Learning Activities:

 Monday:

• Review Constitution Activity
• Note taking on Georgia’s Changing Constitutions
• Quiz tomorrow on the Constitution

Georgi History Online Textbook

Go to www.mystatehistory.com

Password Ga11hist

Week of November 2, 2009

7th Grade

Essential Questions:

• How do countries trade with each other when they have different types of currency?
• Where are political and physical features located in sub Saharan Africa?

Learning Goals:

• To use exchange rates for Middle Eastern Currency to calculate costs.
• To review trade barrier terms.
• To demonstrate what they have learned in the Government and Economics of the Middle East unit.
• To identify and locate specific physical and political features in sub Saharan Africa.

Activities:

Monday

 1. Review economc quizzes from Friday

2. Complete Trade Barrier review Activity

Study for Middle East Economics and Government test  on Wednesday

Wednesday

1.    Test on the Middle East

2.    Current Event writing - Due Monday

Thursday

1.    Students will complete background reading and questions on Africa

2.    Students will complete Africa Where – Abouts Activity

Friday

1.    Students will view a Power point and take notes on Physical features of Africa

2.    Students will complete map showing physical and political features of Africa

 

8th Grade

Essential Question:

   What have you learned about the Revolution and the Articles of Confederation?

How are governments organized?

How have Georgia's Constitution changed through the years and what caused the change?

   Learning Goals:

• To prepare students for test (Revolution) on Wednesday
• Students show what they know in a test on the American Revolution and the ArticlesConfederation
• To examine the foundations on the American Constitution
• To review Georgia's changing constitution

Activities

Monday:

1.    Students will finish viewing the Future Fright Video and will discuss

2.    Bill of Rights Quiz announced for next week

3.    Review game for test on Wednesday

Wednesday

1. Students will complete a test on the American Revolution

Thursday

1. Students read about and completed a graphic oranizer on the Constitution

Friday

1. Review yesterday's  Constution Activity

2. Georgia's Changing Constitution notetaking activity

Advanced Literacy

Monday - 1st Reading on The Veldt

Wednesday - 2nd Reading of the Veldt with directed notes

Thursday - Reading of There will be Soft Rain

Friday - Great Book Discussion

 

Week of October 26, 2009

7th Grade

Essential Questions: How has the dependence on oil heightened our interest in the Middle East?Why does it make good economic sense for a country to have diversity in the products that they trade with other countries? How are countries in the Middle East similar and different than the United States with regard to economics, government, education,and literacy rates/ How do supply and demand affect the value of international exchanges on the international currency market?

Learning Goals: Students will investigate the uses of and the scarcity of petroleum. Students will map products that are produced by Middle Eastern countries. Students will participate in a simulated foreign exchange market to learn the differences between the domestic and international values of currency and how factors of supply and demand work to set international exchange rates.

Activities:

Monday - Students completed the Oil Scavenger hunts using textbooks and computers. A scavenger hunt is posted in Friday's Blog. Completed Scavenger Hunts are due Wednesday.

Tuesday:Students took notes from a Power Point on Economics in the Middle East. There will be a Middle East Economics and Government test next Wednesday. There will be an economic term vocabulary quiz on Friday. ** This is a change from what I originally told you.

Wednesday: Students will view Middle East Economic posters completed by their classmates and will take notes. In addition, students will review government terms.

Thursday: Activity on Foreign Currencies and Foreign exchange.

Friday: African geography pretest. Complete Foreign Currency lesson. Quiz on Economic Terms.

8th Grade:

Essential Questions: How did the major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation lead to a much stronger government? Who were the Revolutionary War heroes of Georgia and what were they known for? What compromises were made to develop the Constitution of the United States of America? How does the Bill of Rights ensure justice for all American citizens?

Learning Goals: To understand the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and to discover why the first written Constitution was discarded so soon after independence. Students will view a series of Georgia stories that will illustrate the contributions of heroic Georgians to the Revolutionary War effort. Students will gain background knowledge on how the Constitution was developed Students will learn the provisions of the Bill of Rights and be able to explain why each right was guaranteed to all Americans under the provisions of the Constitution.

Activities:

Monday & Tuesday: Students will complete the Articles of Confederation Menu Activity started on Friday. Tuesday is the last class day we will spend on it. All completed activities are due Friday. There will be a test on The American Revolution next Wednesday.

Wednesday:Quiz on the American Revolution. We will view Georgia stories on Nancy Hart, Austin Dabney, and the Siege of Savannah.

Thursday: Quiz on the Articles of Confederation. Power Point notes and textbook reading on the Constitution.

Friday: Students will review the Bill of Rights and then view the video Future Fright: Losing the Bill of Rights. Students will participate in a class discussion of the Bill of Rights, complete a brief writing exercise, and memorize the Bill of Rights for a quiz next week.

Advanced Literacy

Monday: Read Animal Farm Chapter 8

Tuesday: Read Animal Farm Chapter 9 & 10

Wednesday & Thursday: Started on an Activity to compare the events in Animal Farm to the events in Soviet Russia.

Friday: Test on Animal Farm

Week of October 19, 2009

7th Grade

Essential Question:

How are governments is the Middle East organized with regard to leadership, freedoms of citizens, and distribution of power?

How does Western interest in oil impact the economies of the Middle East and the Western world?

Learning Goal:

Students will complete a research project on governments of the Middle East.

Students will explore types of trade barriers

Activities:

Monday - Wednesday - Students chose a country from North Africa or the Middle East to research and complete a mini-poster. We will work on this Monday, Tuesday., and Wednesday.  Requirements are attached. This is due Friday.

Thursday: Students read about the Middle Eastern oil trade and completed a series of questions. We also discussed OPEC, embargo, quota, and tariffs and identified them all as types of trade barriers. I also gave a handout of economic terms. Students should study these as there will be a quiz next week.

Friday - Students worked on an Internet Scavenger Hunt to gather information about Middle Eastern oil. Complete for homework if you did not do so in class.

Download Oilt---internet-search

Download Almanac_activity

 

8th Grade:

Essential Question

How did the economic acts and pre-Revolutionary War events lead some Georgia colonists to support rebellion?

How did the Declaration of Independence ignite the cause for role and what was Georgia’s role in the development of this Historic Document?

How did the major economic weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation help lead to the development of a much stronger Constitution?

Learning Goals:

Students will understand that wars for independence are not the result of a single event but the culmination of a series of events in which failure to compromise results in conflict.

Students will review the immediate and long term causes of the American Revolution and will examine and explore the Declaration of Independence.

Students will examine the  Articles of Confederation to determine why it was necessary to replace this first form of American government with the Constitution.

Activities:

Monday: Students examined the taxes that the British Crown placed on the Colonists in an effort to raise money to pay for the French and Indian War. We compared these taxes to a fictional set of classroom rules so students could understand the Colonist's point of view. Students also looked at some Revolutionary war propaganda and tried their hands at drawing some of their own. For homework, complete your propaganda assignment. Be sure it is biased towards either the Loyalists of Patriots depending on what your worksheet says.

Tuesday: We continued discussing British Taxation on the colonists and the role Propaganda played in pushing the colonists towards Revolutionary War. We examined a loyalist and a patriot and completed a decision matrix that helped us understand their decision to go to war.

Wednesday & Thursday: Students examined the Declaration of Independence and compared it to a love letter. We looked at the introduction, the grievances, and the plan for the future. In addition, students worked in pairs to rewrite the introduction to the Declaration in their own words.

Friday: Students worked on a menu activity to gain understanding of the Articles of Confederation.

Download Menu for Friday

Websites to help you with this activity

Scavenger Hunt

Articles of Confederation Primary Doc

New Georgia Encyclopedia

AC Literacy:

Monday - We started reading Animal Farm. We read and discussed Chapters 1 & 2.

Tuesday - Read and discussed Animal Farm chapters 3 & 4

Wednesday - Read and discussed Animal Farm chapters 5

Thursday - Read and discussed Animal Farm chapters 6 & 7

Friday - Read and discussed Animal Farm chapters 8

Week of October 19, 2009

7th Grade

Essential Question:

How are governments is the Middle East organized with regard to leadership, freedoms of citizens, and distribution of power?

How does Western interest in oil impact the economies of the Middle East and the Western world?

Learning Goal:

Students will complete a research project on governments of the Middle East.

Students will explore types of trade barriers

Activities:

Monday - Wednesday - Students chose a country from North Africa or the Middle East to research and complete a mini-poster. We will work on this Monday, Tuesday., and Wednesday.  Requirements are attached. This is due Friday.

Thursday: Students read about the Middle Eastern oil trade and completed a series of questions. We also discussed OPEC, embargo, quota, and tariffs and identified them all as types of trade barriers. I also gave a handout of economic terms. Students should study these as there will be a quiz next week.

Friday - Students worked on an Internet Scavenger Hunt to gather information about Middle Eastern oil. Complete for homework if you did not do so in class.

Download Oilt---internet-search

Download Almanac_activity

 

8th Grade:

Essential Question

How did the economic acts and pre-Revolutionary War events lead some Georgia colonists to support rebellion?

How did the Declaration of Independence ignite the cause for role and what was Georgia’s role in the development of this Historic Document?

How did the major economic weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation help lead to the development of a much stronger Constitution?

Learning Goals:

Students will understand that wars for independence are not the result of a single event but the culmination of a series of events in which failure to compromise results in conflict.

Students will review the immediate and long term causes of the American Revolution and will examine and explore the Declaration of Independence.

Students will examine the  Articles of Confederation to determine why it was necessary to replace this first form of American government with the Constitution.

Activities:

Monday: Students examined the taxes that the British Crown placed on the Colonists in an effort to raise money to pay for the French and Indian War. We compared these taxes to a fictional set of classroom rules so students could understand the Colonist's point of view. Students also looked at some Revolutionary war propaganda and tried their hands at drawing some of their own. For homework, complete your propaganda assignment. Be sure it is biased towards either the Loyalists of Patriots depending on what your worksheet says.

Tuesday: We continued discussing British Taxation on the colonists and the role Propaganda played in pushing the colonists towards Revolutionary War. We examined a loyalist and a patriot and completed a decision matrix that helped us understand their decision to go to war.

Wednesday & Thursday: Students examined the Declaration of Independence and compared it to a love letter. We looked at the introduction, the grievances, and the plan for the future. In addition, students worked in pairs to rewrite the introduction to the Declaration in their own words.

Friday: Students worked on a menu activity to gain understanding of the Articles of Confederation.

Download Menu for Friday

Websites to help you with this activity

 

 

AC Literacy:

Monday - We started reading Animal Farm. We read and discussed Chapters 1 & 2.

Tuesday - Read and discussed Animal Farm chapters 3 & 4

Wednesday - Read and discussed Animal Farm chapters 5

Thursday - Read and discussed Animal Farm chapters 6 & 7

Friday - Read and discussed Animal Farm chapters 8

Week of October 19, 2009

7th Grade

Essential Question:

How are governments is the Middle East organized with regard to leadership, freedoms of citizens, and distribution of power?

Learning Goal:

Students will complete a research project on governments of the Middle East.

Activities:

Monday - Wednesday - Students chose a country from North Africa or the Middle East to research and complete a mini-poster. We will work on this Monday, Tuesday., and Wednesday.  Requirements are attached. This is due Friday.

Download Almanac_activity

 

8th Grade:

Essential Question

How did the economic acts and pre-Revolutionary War events lead some Georgia colonists to support rebellion?

How did the Declaration of Independence ignite the cause for role and what was Georgia’s role in the development of this Historic Document?

How did the major economic weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation help lead to the development of a much stronger Constitution?

Learning Goals:

Students will understand that wars for independence are not the result of a single event but the culmination of a series of events in which failure to compromise results in conflict.

Students will review the immediate and long term causes of the American Revolution and will examine and explore the Declaration of Independence.

How did the major economic weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation help lead to the development of a much stronger Constitution?

Activities:

Monday: Students examined the taxes that the British Crown placed on the Colonists in an effort to raise money to pay for the French and Indian War. We compared these taxes to a fictional set of classroom rules so students could understand the Colonist's point of view. Students also looked at some Revolutionary war propaganda and tried their hands at drawing some of their own. For homework, complete your propaganda assignment. Be sure it is biased towards either the Loyalists of Patriots depending on what your worksheet says.

Tuesday: We continued discussing British Taxation on the colonists and the role Propaganda played in pushing the colonists towards Revolutionary War. We examined a layalist and a patriot and completed a decision matrix that helped us understand their decision to go to war.

AC Literacy:

Monday - We started reading Animal Farm. We read and discussed Chapters 1 & 2.

Tuesday - Read and discussed Animal Farm chapters 3 & 4

Week of October 12, 2009

 

Future Freshman Focus

Parent Meeting

October 20th

Awtrey Theater at 6:30 PM

 

Topics will include AVID, Honors, AP, Magnet,

Extra Curricular Activities, and Pinnacle

 

7th Grade World Geography

Essential Question:How are the governments of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Israel organized?

How does a government shape a country and impact the lives of the citizens living in that country?  

Learning Goals: Students will see the similarities and the differences in the governments of three countries in the Middle East, they will compare these governments to their own government, and they will use research skills to collect information on governments.

Activities:

Monday: Post test & Benchmark on 1st 9 weeks

Tuesday: I Have/Who Has to review basic government terminology

 Students work in cooperative groups to collect and organize information on the governments of Saudi Arabia, and Iran and complete a matrix.

Wednesday: Review Matrix and complete "How do Governments Measure up to compare the three governments. Also read information on the Sharia Law system and judge case like an Islamic Judge (Qudi) would. There will be a quiz tomorrow on the Government Matrix and the Measure Up Worksheet is due tomorrow.

Thursday: Quiz on governments. Students act out Qudi cases, and students began an almanac activity where they are researching other governments in the Middle East.

Friday: Only meet with 1st period. Continue working on the Almanac activity.

8th Grade Georgia History

Essential Question: What are the short and the long term causes leading up to the American Revolution?

Learning Goals: Students will be able to explain and identify the causes leading to the American Revolution and the role of Georgia during this time.

Activities: 

Monday: Post test & Benchmark

Tuesday: Introduced the American Revolution Textbook Project. Directions attached.

Download Revolution in Georgia

Wednesday: Continue the textbook project. We reviewed a Power Point for notes on page 2.

Download Page 2

Thursday: Continue working on Textbook Project Project. It will be due tomorrow.

Friday: Collected Textbook Projects and play a game to review the information using the Academic Bowl Buzzer System.

8th Grade Enrichment

Monday - No class due to Hearing & Vision

Tuesday - Listened to The Parsley Garden

Wednesday - Second reading of The Parsley Garden with directed notes. Students also answered and turned in an interpretive question. Bring a book to read to class tomorrow.

Thursday - Great Book Discussion of The Parsley Garden.

Friday - No class due to reward.

October 12, 2009

Important Notes: Picture Retake is tomorrow!

The book fair is going on this week in the Media Center.

Student Council sponsored Hat Day is Wednesday. Hat stickers are $1.00 and proceeds go to benefit Cobb Area Flood Victims.

The Robotics club is sponsoring a dance this Thursday. Tickets are $2.00 and will be on sale during lunch.

All classes:  We finished out last 9 weeks with a Benchmark and a post test. Though I expect you did your best on these assessments, neither grade was recorded, I am just collecting data to show growth and understanding.

Gifted Enrichment - I enjoyed meeting my new class. We had hearing and vision screening today. We will start our curriculum tomorrow.

October 6, 2009

7th Grade

Essential Question: What is the difference between a religious group and an ethnic group.

Learning Goal: To identify ethnic groups and religious in the Middle East and form a definition of each.

Activities:We reviewed for the test on Thursday and we discussed the difference between an ethnic group and a religious group. Using the textbook, we completed a map showing the religious and ethnic groups in the Middle East.

Homework:Review for your History of the Middle East test Thursday.

Download Study Guide for Middle East Test

8th Grade

Essential Question:

How was the founding of the Georgia colony and its evolution to statehood unique?

How did the contributions of various political and cultural groups contribute to the development of the Georgia colony during the Trustee period?

How did physical features and climate factors play a role in the settlement of the Georgia colony?

Learning Goal:To demonstrate understanding of Georgia's development as the 13th Colony. 

Activities: We completed the skit presentations and discussed the events surrounding Georgia's colonization.

Homework: Study for the Exploration and Colonization test Wednesday. A study guide and review game is attached.

Download Colonial Georgia Study Guide

Download Colonial Georgia Game

AC Literacy

We continued reading from the HOTS book. Book must be read by Friday. We also started on a House of Scorpion Mind Map.