Mrs Bonine's blog

Activities:  

World History B –

         Today:   We continued our work on the Renaissance.    We completed a European map and began an extensive crossword on Renaissance personalities, places and events.

          Tomorrow:   We will complete the crossword and complete a personality matching activity based on the crossword’s information.  We will also participate in a personality identity exercise which uses background and specific clues as an alternate assessment method for this unit.   We will discuss causes and events of the Reformation, complete a reading exercise  and consider why this period occurred during the Renaissance and not earlier.

U.S. History B -  

        Today:    We watched a documentary film on the eary 20th century and completed our photo-based creative writing-in-history essay/journal entry. We will examine the Progressive era as a bipartisan response to the pressures of urbanization, high immigration and big business abuses by completing an information scavenger exercise. 

         Tomorrow:   We will complete the Progressive/reform movement discussion by contrasting it with our own era’s reforms and with an eye to remembering this once we hit the New Deal period.   We will also consider agricultural reforms 20 years earlier as illustrated in Populism and those of Progressivism to determine if there are similarities in the ‘reform’ concept in general. 

Government -

       Today:   We   completed our scavenger hunt text exercise regarding the origin of government and the creation of the American system.    We completed a chart contrasting Locke, Hobbes and the three main French philisophes’ principles.  We watched a video clip about this topic and viewed (on line via proxima projector) the actual Declaration of Independence in its original published format.   We discussed reasons for its creation and what influences impacted on it. 

Was the Declaration justified when the colonists were actually living lives often at greater comfort levels than the British back in the mother country?  If so, why?   If not, why not?

          Tomorrow:   We will discuss the background documents key to the foundation of American govt. by going to the computer lab to complete a document identity exercise.    We will look into the major concepts inherent in the Constitution and will break into analysis groups for presentation of information and discussion next week.  

Activities:  

World History B –

         Today:   We will continue our work on the Renaissance.   We will also complete a word search exercise.  This will be based on last week’s activities and extended.

         Tomorrow:   We will consolidate this infomation by completing a personality matching activity and considering the impact of Renaissance thinking as it helped create the technology and mindset that led to exploration to unknown parts of the world.  What mindset was involved in getting people to do this and nation-states to support their efforts?  What role did technology play?    What links do we see to attitudes or technological developments today?  Or do we?

U.S. History B -  

        Today:    Because of delays in planned activities last week, we will review last week’s material and complete a written exercise the impact of both increased manufacturing and increasing pressures of rapid urbanization and new citizens compared to old.    We will begin to examine the impact of robber barons/philanthropists and consider their dual role in American society.    If time permits, we will watch a documentary excerpt showing urban life at the beginning of the 20th century.   What difficulties did the various population groups encounter?   [This material had originally been scheduled for last Thursday.]

          Tomorrow:   We will complete our examination of the impact of urbanization and immigration in conjunction with the rise of Big Business.  We will also complete earlier discussions of the Gilded Age and the ripple effects the helped create the Progressive Movement.

Government -

       Today:   We  will continue to analyze the characteristics of ‘government’ by examining the ways societies react when their normally accepted systems are destroyed or inadequate by suddent events.   By doing so, we will also gain a greater understanding of what makes a government and also why govt. of some sort is virtually inevitable.  We will use the film “Water World” to do this, with discussion of points intermittently throughout.

          Tomorrow:   We will discuss the foundation of American govt. by examining the concepts of democracy, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, representatation and limited powers and will identify the relevant European origins of much of what becomes a basis of our Constitution.  We will examine the ways in which our our system was, however, different from what had come before and will consider why this was and what the consequences were.   This will lead us into an examination of both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, a study which will take up much of next week.

Activities:  

World History B –

         Today:  Wow!  Time flies…. Today we began our discussions and readings on the Renaissance.  After doing a chapter overview, we will use a carousel group approach to share / report on a variety of readings on specific Renaissance topics.   These include topics from famous Renaissance personalities to how the common people lived.    Each group of readers/reporters is named for a specific Renaissance city and will share its findings with others.  Extra credit opportunity exists:  Ask me!         

        Today:   We will begin to cover America’s urbanization and immigration surge in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  This will include considering the role of new technologies and examining the push-pull factors inherent in immigration/emigration.   We will consider readings and analyze data in various chart forms, assessing which countries gave us the most immigrants then (and now) and suggest reasons why this might be so.  We will also compare/contrast reasons for immigration then and now and consider the impact on both the home country and receiving nation in various periods.   Can any generalizations be valid?   What consequences can come from immigration?  From rapid industrialization?   

        Tomorrow:     We  will continue to examine the above issues and examine through readings and a written exercise the impact of both increased manufacturing and increasing pressures of rapid urbanization and new citizens compared to old.    We will begin to examine the impact of robber barons/philanthropists and consider their dual role in American society.    If time permits, we will watch a documentary excerpt showing urban life at the beginning of the 20th century.   What difficulties did the various population groups encounter? 

Government -

       Today:   We  will discuss the point of government  in any society and begin to explore what causes the creation of govt. and the various types possible.  To apply some of our ideas, students will work in small groups to create their own island government, based on instructor-given parameters.   They will then present their various governments to other groups and the class will decide which is the most realistic.

Tomorrow:   We will discuss how the concepts of govt. in ancient Greece and Rome impacted on the founders of the US.   We will further consider the impact of the ideas of the Enlightenment on founders’ thinking and conceptualization of government.   Specifically, we will examin the ideas of Voltaire, Rousseau, and other philosophes.     The ideas on government of Hobbes and, in particular,   John Locke, will be examined and students will prepare a chart illustrating their various ideas and contributions these eventually made to the formation of US government.

Activities:  

World History A –

         Today:  I am away at an inservice, but the sub will guide you so you     can  complete a series of exercises on Greece.  You’ll look at a map from the time of Pericles and answer questions.  You’ll also do an identification of traits from Athens and Sparta. 

US History A -  

        Today:   We’re doing a Revolutionary War word search and extension     exercise.  I am away at an in-service, so hope that everyone takes seriously the assignments.  Everyone WILL be held accountable for both behavior and work.

        Tomorrow:  Depending on everyone’s behavior for Monday as reported by the sub, we will play a few rounds of Revolutionary Jingo, followed by a lovely quiz on the material of the past 8 days.    And then, on to the new Republic!   :0

Government -

       Today:  I am away at an inservice, but that gives everyone a wonderful opportunity to complete the four worksheets on the Legislative Branch which we started on Wednesday.  Most of you have done two so far.  Do not let this opportunity go to waste!!!!!!

          Tomorrow:   We will do a kinetic legislative exercise as well as look at the diary of a Congressional Representative to show us what an ‘average’ day of a legislator looks like.    We’ll also discuss how a bill becomes a law and maybe even act it out.   

Activities:  

World History B –

         Today:

• Chapter 21, sec. 5 – English civil war and Commonwealth; Petition of Rights, Wm and Mary, emergence of constitutional monarchy while rest of Europe has enlightened despots – the whens, wheres and whys
• chart and brief written exercise.  What does all this mean for America at that time?  And now?
• Age of Enlightenment – ch. 22 – What was it?  Why then?  Changes in science – heliocentric theory, scientific method, philosophes, and more! 
• Guided overhead notes

• completion of over head guided notes
• matching philosophe and scientist exercise
• Draw your scientist’s name for Thursday web research
•  crossword

US History B -  

         Today:   

• Gilded Age, political machine, as predecessor to conditions leading to push for Progressive Movement – link to current US issues
• characteristics of Progressives; Teddy Roosevelt’s approach v. Wm H. Taft v W. Wilson; accomplishments/disappointments
• guided overhead notes; primary doc work: political cartoon examination 

          Tomorrow:

• Completion of overhead notes on White House reformers
• Power point on Progressive era and resulting reforms; successes and limitations
• US foreign policy under Roosevelt and Taft – conflicted democracy
• jeopardy-type question and answer hunt on imperialism 

Government -

      Today: 

• Review of constitution exercise
• Gilder-Lehrman online print out quiz
• Use of Up Front Magazine (NY Times) for statistical examination with linkage to US and foreign govt. policies
• Discussion of above

        Tomorrow:  

• Federalism readings and discussion
• worksheet on same
• Comment reveiw for test on Constitution
• Intro to Legislative Branch