April 27/30, 2012

Journal: Write down 10 facts you've learned about the Middle East.
Classwork: Finish running timeline for the last time, go over study guide, play "Password" review game, take test

*Be sure to have your book (for your book report project) out in class to show me, so you get credit for being prepared.  These are the books you can choose from:

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza

3 Cups of Tea (Adult or Adolescent Version)

Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez

Futebol: Soccer: The Brazilian Way by Alex Bellos

Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah

How Soccer Explains the World by Franklin Foer

Maphead by Ken Jennings

Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-li Jiang

The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan *Please get parental permission for this book

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini *Please get parental permission for this book

1,000 Splendid Sons by Khaled Hosseini *Please get parental permission for this book

Homework: Complete your map of Asia!

April 25th/26th

Journal:  Write down 5 things you think you know about the conflict or wars in Iraq and/or Afghanistan.
Objective: Compare the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and explain the major events of the Arab Spring.
Classwork:
1. Share current event readings
2. Take the Middle East anticipation quiz
3. Take powerpoint notes on the conflict in Iraq/Afghanistan
4. In your groups, gather information about the Arab Spring rebellion in order to prepare a news broadcast about the rebellion that you'll later share with the class.

Homework: Complete "A Day in the Life Assignment" with a Middle Eastern country of your choice.  Read Pages 488-491 about Sunni and Shia Islam.

April 18/10, 2012

Journal: What do YOU recommend as the best solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
Objective: Describe solutions and perspectives in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Classwork:Finish notes about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, hold an Israeli Peace Conference activity.

Homework:  Find a current event about the Middle East and fill out the corresponding paper in your packet.

April 17/18, 2012

Journal: Make 2 mnemonics for how you can remember the countries in the Middle East (don't forget: Turkies Still Live in Jordan, Iran in Kuwait so YOU quit bombing, etc.)

Objective: Describe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and understand the conflict from both sides.

Classwork: We learned about the basics of Islam and Judaism, worked on the running timeline, and then discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Homework: Write a paragraph from both the Israeli perspective and also the Palestinian perspective. Then, complete the guided reading worksheet in your packet as you read in your text.

April 4/5

Objective: Students will review and show what they have learned about Africa.

Journal: Write down 15 things you know about Africa.

Classwork: Turn in all Africa work (U.N. Letter with research, drafts, and final; Hotel Rwanda notes; Africa Cornell notes; Review guide; Africa map)

Take Africa test!

Homework: Love Spring Break.

April 2/3

Objective: Students will synthesize their knowledge about Africa and edit each other's letters in order to better write their own.

Journal: Write 2 mnemonics for the map of Africa

Classwork: Fill in the Venn diagram on the back of your Africa Cornell notes

Peer edit rough drafts of the Africa letter

Homework: Fill out study guide

Bring final draft of your Africa letter

Test next time! Study!

March 29/30

Objective: Students will understand hunger and water issues and use their research to write a letter to the UN requesting aid for an African country.

Journal: What are 3 different solutions for the problems you have seen in Africa?

Classwork: Finish hunger and water notes

Go to computer lab and finish research and write Africa letter

Homework: Finish letter - Rough draft is due next time!

March 27/28

Objective: Students will learn about child soldiers and education in Africa and be able to research and cite sources in order to effectively write their Africa letter.

Journal: What are 3 problems found in Africa?

Classwork: Fill in Child Soldiers and Education in Africa Cornell notes

Last step of Africa Research Project in computer lab

Homework: Finish all parts of Africa Research Project (Parts 1-4 and the final research packet)

March 23/26

Objective: Students will learn facts about political turmoil and AIDS in Africa and be able to summarize so that they can write their Africa letter.

Journal: What did you learn from the movie Hotel Rwanda?

Classwork: Filled out Political Turmoil and AIDS in our Africa Cornell notes

Learned to summarize

Steps 2-4 of our Africa Research Project in the computer lab

Homework: Finish steps 2-4 of Africa Research Project

Test Corrections

Test Corrections:

You will be able to earn back the points you missed on the test by making corrections. Here are the instructions for the test corrections:

For each question missed:

1. Write out the question

2. Write the correct answer

3. Explain why this is the correct answer

4. Explain why your answer was incorrect.

5. Give evidence to support your explanation (based on the information in your notes.)

You must complete all 5 steps to receive credit for the questions you missed.

You can copy down the questions and answers by coming into class to use a copy of the test before, after school or during lunch.

Map:

If you want to make up points on the map portion of your test, you can come in and retake it as many times as you want to get the score you want.

March 21/22

Objective: Students will understand the reasons behind the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and what happened.

Journal: List 5 things you know or think you know about Africa.

Classwork: Watch Hotel Rwanda and fill out movie notes

H/W: Research your African country and fill out worksheet

March 19/20

Test day!

We turned in all of our Unit 3 (Europe and Russia) work. So if you missed today bring it in as soon as you're back.

Homework: Finish Africa map

March 15/16

Journal: What did you like and dislike about our communist committees?

Objective: Students will experience some culture and get ready for their Europe and Russia test.

Classwork: Dance

Hand in Day in the Life

Review

Homework: Finish Review guide

Study!

Bring in all your Europe/Russia work

March 13/14

Objective: Students will explain the changes in Europe that have led to increased political and economic activity.

Journal: Sort these items into either North, West, South, or East Europe

• Belgium
• France
• Ireland
• Italy
• Greece
• Moldova
• Ukraine
• Finland

Classwork: Finish European regions notes

Fill out HDI guided notes

Case Study and questions from 338-341 in Geography textbook

Homework: Finish Case Study questions

Day in the Life (due Thursday/Friday and it will be on this term's grades)

Reading: 295, 298, 302, 309, 316, 371-375

March 9/12

Objective:

Students will be able to identify the countries of Europe and differences in the regions of Europe.

Journal:

What is one place in Europe you want to visit and why?

Homework:

Work on Day in the Life Project (due Thursday-odd day/Friday-even day)

March 6/7

Objective: Analyze the theory of Communism and learn about Russian history

Journal

Write your response to the following:

a. Governments should do something about this

b. Governments should not do something about this

c. unsure

1. More than 25% of the World’s population does not have access to safe drinking water
2. If all the food in the world was divided evenly, everyone would have enough to eat. Because it is not divided evenly, 60% of the world’s population is always hungry. 16% go to sleep often without enough to eat, and only 24% always have enough to eat.
3. More than 2/3 of the world live off of $500, or less than $2/ day
4. 27 million people in the world today are slaves
5. The richest 350 people in the world have incomes greater than the poorest 45% of the population combined.
6. In many countries (including the U.S.) the gap between the rich and poor is growing wider (the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer).

March 2/5

Objective: Students will examine the Balkan conflict and its effect on the former USSR nations.

Classwork: Read about the Balkan conflict

Watched ESPN's movie "Once Brothers" (can be found on YouTube) and filled out movie questions

Homework: Reading Guide for pages 312-316 in textbook

NOTE: You can still do test corrections for the Unit 1 test and can now do them for the Unit 2 test. Most of the points were missed on the map portion of the Latin America (Unit 2) test. You can come in and make up just the map portion.

Some of you still need to take your states and capitals test! The term ends next week! Come and take it before next Wednesday, March 14!

February 29/March 1

Objective: Students will show what they've learned about Latin America.

Classwork: Latin America Test

Fill in European political and physical map

Homework: Using your textbook, fill in the political and physical map of Europe.

February 27/28

Objective: Students will understand population and migration principles in Latin America and understand more of the culture of Latin America.

Classwork: Finish the Population and Movement packet from last class

Turn in or work on the Day in the Life project

Work on Study Guide and fill in the Culture questions from powerpoint

Homework: Study Guide

Have everything from the Latin American unit ready to turn in next time!

Study for the test!

February 23/24

Objective: Students will understand the principles of movement and population as they apply to Latin America.

Classwork: Students rotated through stations reading articles about different aspects of population and migration

Students filled in their note packet until part 5 which we will do as a class next time

Homework: Finish Day in The Life due February 27/28 (Monday/Tuesday)

Keep in mind, our Latin America test will be next Wednesday/Thursday

February 21/22

Objective: Students will understand the causes of tsunamis and earthquakes and analyze how they affect humans. Students will also be able to identify and know the effects of important physical features of South America.

Classwork: Guided notes on physical features, earthquakes, and tsunamis

Jigsaw group work - reading articles on Chilean, Haitian, Indonesian, and Japanese earthquakes and/or tsunamis

Natural disaster videos

Homework: Read page 203-206 in your Geography textbook and fill out the corresponding worksheet.

February 16/17

Objective: Students will know the basics of the history and colonization of Latin America.

Journal: None

Classwork: Filled out guided notes on basic history and notes of Latin America

Watched "Guns, Germs, and Steel" and fill out guided notes

(If the links for Guns, Germs, and Steel don't work in the Latin America tab, you should be able to find the movie on YouTube. Watch parts 7-12.)

Homework: Write essay on the back of your Guns, Germs, and Steel guided notes.

Test Corrections

Test Corrections:

You will be able to earn back the points you missed on the test by making corrections. Here are the instructions for the test corrections:

For each question missed:

1. Write out the question

2. Write the correct answer

3. Explain why this is the correct answer

4. Explain why your answer was incorrect.

5. Give evidence to support your explanation (based on the information in your Olympic Packet and/or Review guide.)

You must complete all 5 steps to receive credit for the questions you missed.

You can copy down the questions and answers by coming into class to use a copy of the test before, after school or during lunch.

February 16/17, 2012

Journal: no journal or current event today, Latin America Pre-test.

Objectives: To understand the basics of Latin American colonization, imperialism, and history. Analyzing why the West was able to conquer Latin America

Classwork:

Pre-Test

History of colonization of L.A.

Imperialism vs. Colonization Activity

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" movie and worksheet

Homework:

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" Essay- due next time.

February 14/15

Journal:

What 5 things are you most worried about for our test today?

Objectives:

Students will display their knowledge of Unit 1 on the Unit 1 test

Classwork:

Test

Latin America Map with IDs

Homework:

Finish IDs on Latin America map

February 10/13

Objective: Students will be ready for the Unit 1 test NEXT TIME!

Classwork: Finish population notes

Review games for the test

Homework: Fill out study guide

STUDY!

February 8/9

Journal: Write about one aspect of American culture as if you were an outsider (like the Nacirema)

Classwork: Finish 5 themes note (Human-Environmental Interaction, Movement, Region)

Fill out population notes

H/W: Finish Island project

February 6/7

Journal: Explain the difference between a command and a planned economy.

Classwork: Finish Economy notes

Fill out Culture notes

Read Nacirema article - turned in 3 weirdest things about them

H/W: Finish parts 3 and 4 of your island project.

Don't forget to retake your states capitals test by the end of this Friday! You can come in before school, after school, or during lunch.

February 2/3 2012

Journal: What Am I?

I vote on every proposed law/ bill or issue that comes along. I have the same power in government as every other person in my country. The power to make these decisions lies directly with the people. What type of government am I?

Classwork:

Government Review

Economic Principles and

Basic Economic Questions

Homework:

Communism vs. Capitalism Article and Questions

Answer "politic" questions on Island Project (pg. 4 of Olympic Packet)

January 31/ February 1

Journal Entry: Write a mnemonic phrase for at least 5 states

Objective: Students will be able to identify all the US States and their Capitals, they will also demonstrate understanding of basic government systems and distributions of power.

Classwork:

Review states and capitals

TEST on states and capitals (must get at least 80% to pass)

Grade test in class

Learn about government systems

Government skits!

Homework: read pg 100-104 in text book

January 27/ 30 Journal Entry

What land forms are created through accretion and subduction? What is the absolute and relative location of your Island (from your Island Project)? What is the difference between weather and climate?

January 25/26

Journal: What is the difference between latitude and longitude? Complete the globe on page 7 of your Olympic packet with important lines of latitude and longitude.

Objective: Students will be able to identify, define, and draw the landforms and means of landform production in their Olympic packet

Classwork: Landform and landform production worksheet in Olympic packet, start Design-A-Mini-Island project, Olympic game #2

Homework: Finish landform worksheet, work on island project (if necessary), correct room maps (if necessary).

January 23/24

Journal: Choose one of the 5 themes of Geography. Define it and give an example.

Objective: Students will be able to differentiate between latitude and longitude in order to find locations using latitude and longitude on a map or globe.

Classwork: Finished location and place notes (on your 5 themes worksheet) as well as the longitude and latitude notes (Olympic packet page 7). Latitude and longitude game in Olympic teams.

Homework: read pages 30-44 in your textbook.

January 19/20

Journal: Write a mnemonic device to remember the states in the Northeast that we learned the first day of class.

Objective: Learn basic map skills.

Classwork: Map Skills note guide on page 6 of the Olympic packet, drew a map of the room, played a map game, got textbooks, Research on Olympic countries. (Not all classes got through everything because of the shortened assembly day).

Homework: Read pages 16-24 in your textbook, finish country research if not finished in class using the instructions on page 3 of your Olympic packet

January 17/18

Journal: What is geography? What do I already know?

Objective: Introduce the class and the 5 themes of geography.

Classwork: Read through disclosure document, filled out blank US map, started 5 themes of geography guided notes in Olympic packet.

Homework: Finish filling out the blank US map so you can study for your test on January 31/Feb. 1. Bring back your signed disclosure document. Get a binder and bring it to class everyday.

January 12/13, 2012

Thanks for a wonderful semester! Today we took the final exam and so far, the scores look great! Make sure you've turned everything in...I should have received your ASIA packet last time. It should include:

1. Asia map and notes

2. Inside North Korea worksheet

3. Human Trafficking worksheet

4. Asian religions worksheet

5. THEME project

6. Journals

Have a wonderful rest of the year and come back to visit!

January 4/5, 2012

Journal: What is modern-day slavery? Why does this occur?

Objective: Describe causes and evidences of human trafficking

Classwork: Answer questions and watch videos about human trafficking, then make a video to submit to the CNN Freedom Project about putting an end to modern day slavery.

Homework: Complete ALL late work by next time!!!

Also, begin working on your theme project. Username: pioneer. Password: friend.