THE DAILY BLOG
MONDAY, 10.17.11
The students took their first unit test today! At the beginning of the hour, I issued their homework for the week (questions for sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 for Chapter 12). As shown on the sheets, these are due Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week. When the students completed their assessment, they worked on their homework until the conclusion of the hour.
Today, I also issued their first vocabulary sheet to assist them in their reading. I made a list of terms, which are also found on this site, that they might find challenging in the text. Please encourage them to follow the instructions and place any words they need defined on the board when they enter the room tomorrow. Also, please encourage them to come with paragraphs from the text they need discussed, especially as it relates to cause/effect. These "new" vocabulary words will be used in creating their various assessments.
TUESDAY, 10.18.11
After sharing the results of the unit test with the students, we moved into a discussion of the MMC for the beginning of the unit. The focus point is the following:
6.2 Becoming a World Power
Describe and analyze the major changes--both positive and negative--in the role the United States played in world affairs after the Civil War, and explain the causes and consequences of this changing role
This means that your student must be able to analyze and discuss the causes and effects of history, which is something we have been drilling since the beginning of the year. Although this makes the assessments challenging, it is the necessary skills that are required of a sophomore in the State of Michigan.
After having a one-way discussion today, I instructed the students to analyze and memorize two key terms: Alfred Thayer Mahan and the Monroe Doctrine. Since they had difficulty with names on their test, I also told them to focus on the following individuals in great detail, as related to the chapter: Joshia Strong, Albert Beveridge, Ulysses S. Grant, James Blaine, Henry Cabot Lodge, Minor C. Keith, and William H. Seward. I want them to practice analysis, analysis, and analysis.
WEDNESDAY, 10.19.11
We began the hour by entering a discussion regarding the two key terms assigned last evening, Alfred Thayer Mahan and the Monroe Doctrine. Unfortunately, only a handful of students all day were prepared. Thus, I began the discussion of the topics, especially hitting the Monroe Doctrine hard and relating the events in Mexico in 1866, Grant's pronouncement in 1870, and the Venezuelan Boundary Dispute in 1895. These topics were connected directly to 6.2 of the MCC.
For tonight, I told them to once again hit Mahan and the Monroe Doctrine, as well as the other names listed yesterday.
THURSDAY, 10.20.11
We had a lively discussion today regarding 6.2 of the MMC, which is listed under Tuesday's blog. The students seem to be grasping the information better. I am learning that some students have a little "stage fright' and will need to be slowly brought into the discussions. As they have mentioned to me, they feel the same anxiety when taking a test. Hopefully, we can practice handling anxiety in class and that will result in higher test scores due to an increased confidence.
For their homework tonight, they have been told to analyze all the names from Chapter 12, Sections 1 and 2. Also, they were told to further review Monroe Doctrine and Alfred Thayer Mahan. In addition, I told them to place a tremendous focus and practice their analysis on William Randolph Hearst, Joseph Pulitzer, George Dewey, the quote "A Splendid Little War," and the Open Door Policy.George Dewey, John Hay, Emilio Aguinaldo,
FRIDAY, 10,21,11
The focus is on reviewing and a competition based on the names from Section 1 and those from Section 2 (Grover Cleveland/Rio de Janeiro, Richard Olney/Venezuela, Valeriano Weyler, Jose Marti, Grover Cleveland & William McKinley, William Randolph Hearst/Joseph Pulitzer, Theodore Roosevelt,
Walter Reed, Kalakaua, Liliuokalani, Sanford Dole, William Jennings Bryan, Marcus Hanna). Included were the key concepts of The Open Door Policy, the concept of a Splendid Little War, the Monroe Doctrine, and the ideas of Alfred Thayer Mahan.
We had a little competitive game involving these terms in class today. Hopefully, it simulates many of the same feelings they have during an assessment, which will help those that feel overly stressed when taking a quiz or test.
Please encourage your student to use the Chapter 12 Guidance page I have added for this weekend. This would be a wonderful preparation tool for Monday's, assessment, Chapter 12 Quiz.
I have encouraged them to study hard from my room. Please help to provide the learning environment they require to succeed on Monday. Have a great weekend!
The students took their first unit test today! At the beginning of the hour, I issued their homework for the week (questions for sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 for Chapter 12). As shown on the sheets, these are due Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week. When the students completed their assessment, they worked on their homework until the conclusion of the hour.
Today, I also issued their first vocabulary sheet to assist them in their reading. I made a list of terms, which are also found on this site, that they might find challenging in the text. Please encourage them to follow the instructions and place any words they need defined on the board when they enter the room tomorrow. Also, please encourage them to come with paragraphs from the text they need discussed, especially as it relates to cause/effect. These "new" vocabulary words will be used in creating their various assessments.
TUESDAY, 10.18.11
After sharing the results of the unit test with the students, we moved into a discussion of the MMC for the beginning of the unit. The focus point is the following:
6.2 Becoming a World Power
Describe and analyze the major changes--both positive and negative--in the role the United States played in world affairs after the Civil War, and explain the causes and consequences of this changing role
This means that your student must be able to analyze and discuss the causes and effects of history, which is something we have been drilling since the beginning of the year. Although this makes the assessments challenging, it is the necessary skills that are required of a sophomore in the State of Michigan.
After having a one-way discussion today, I instructed the students to analyze and memorize two key terms: Alfred Thayer Mahan and the Monroe Doctrine. Since they had difficulty with names on their test, I also told them to focus on the following individuals in great detail, as related to the chapter: Joshia Strong, Albert Beveridge, Ulysses S. Grant, James Blaine, Henry Cabot Lodge, Minor C. Keith, and William H. Seward. I want them to practice analysis, analysis, and analysis.
WEDNESDAY, 10.19.11
We began the hour by entering a discussion regarding the two key terms assigned last evening, Alfred Thayer Mahan and the Monroe Doctrine. Unfortunately, only a handful of students all day were prepared. Thus, I began the discussion of the topics, especially hitting the Monroe Doctrine hard and relating the events in Mexico in 1866, Grant's pronouncement in 1870, and the Venezuelan Boundary Dispute in 1895. These topics were connected directly to 6.2 of the MCC.
For tonight, I told them to once again hit Mahan and the Monroe Doctrine, as well as the other names listed yesterday.
THURSDAY, 10.20.11
We had a lively discussion today regarding 6.2 of the MMC, which is listed under Tuesday's blog. The students seem to be grasping the information better. I am learning that some students have a little "stage fright' and will need to be slowly brought into the discussions. As they have mentioned to me, they feel the same anxiety when taking a test. Hopefully, we can practice handling anxiety in class and that will result in higher test scores due to an increased confidence.
For their homework tonight, they have been told to analyze all the names from Chapter 12, Sections 1 and 2. Also, they were told to further review Monroe Doctrine and Alfred Thayer Mahan. In addition, I told them to place a tremendous focus and practice their analysis on William Randolph Hearst, Joseph Pulitzer, George Dewey, the quote "A Splendid Little War," and the Open Door Policy.George Dewey, John Hay, Emilio Aguinaldo,
FRIDAY, 10,21,11
The focus is on reviewing and a competition based on the names from Section 1 and those from Section 2 (Grover Cleveland/Rio de Janeiro, Richard Olney/Venezuela, Valeriano Weyler, Jose Marti, Grover Cleveland & William McKinley, William Randolph Hearst/Joseph Pulitzer, Theodore Roosevelt,
Walter Reed, Kalakaua, Liliuokalani, Sanford Dole, William Jennings Bryan, Marcus Hanna). Included were the key concepts of The Open Door Policy, the concept of a Splendid Little War, the Monroe Doctrine, and the ideas of Alfred Thayer Mahan.
We had a little competitive game involving these terms in class today. Hopefully, it simulates many of the same feelings they have during an assessment, which will help those that feel overly stressed when taking a quiz or test.
Please encourage your student to use the Chapter 12 Guidance page I have added for this weekend. This would be a wonderful preparation tool for Monday's, assessment, Chapter 12 Quiz.
I have encouraged them to study hard from my room. Please help to provide the learning environment they require to succeed on Monday. Have a great weekend!