Welcome to Fall Semester 2009! We are going to have a wonderful year.
Eighth Grade American History
Eighth Grade American History Syllabus Fall 2009 (download)
Homework (due Mon. Aug. 24th, approx. 1 page, double-spaced, typed or written): Write a letter to me to help me get to know you better as a student. How do you learn best? What are your hopes and concerns for the school year. Do you have any special needs?
Sample Name Poem by Sandra Cisneros (download)
Homework (due Monday August 24th, approx. 1 page, double-spaced, typed or written) To help me get to know you better, write a poem reflecting on your name. Try to include at least five different literary devices such as similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, assonance, and alliteration. Have fun! Be creative!
Hat Presentation (Directions and rubric download) You have permission to modify to fit the you that you want to share.
Homework Both your outline and your presentation of your HAT ABOUT YOU are due Monday, Aug. 31st.
At the beginning of class you will have 10 minutes to practice your presentation. Be creative! Have fun!
Reminder for Sept. 4th: Quiz on Native American cultures on Tues. Sept. 8th. Benchmark testing begins next week.
Homework due on Mon. Sept. 14th: Bring two news articles (online, newspaper, magazines etc.) that demonstrate a use of power and/or authority. Be prepared to summary the main points and why you selected these articles.
Homework due on Mon. Sept. 21st: Bring 60 or so blank notecards to class for a project we will begin soon.
Homework due on Mon. Sept. 21st: Explore how your favorite TV show or movie demonstrates use of power and authority.
Homework now due Oct. 2nd: Create a list of the pros and cons related to the current healthcare debate. Use at least 2 different sources for your research. You need to find both liberal and conservative view points. Your list should be about a page long, handwritten or typed. Longer is OK, bullets are also OK, full sentences and paragraphs are not required.
Homework for Oct. 9th: Please work on preparing your section of the We The People Congressional Hearing. If all students have completed their chapter readings, summarized their readings, and answers their hearing questions, we will be ready to hit our library research on Monday, Oct. 12th.
Homework due Oct. 19th: We the People unit presentations begin Monday, Oct. 19th. Please complete any needed preparations at home as we will have no more class time to prepare.
Reminder: Remember that our We the People Congressional hearings have been moved to Nov. 11th. Because I have arranged for volunteer judges, there will be no extensions for these presentions.
We the People Unit Test will be Weds. Dec. 2nd. To prepare for the test review your pretest when they are returned to you. Also, review the rights portected by the Bill of Rights.
Honor Civics
Civics Syllabus Fall 2009 (download)
Homework (due Mon. Aug. 24th, approx. 1 page, double-spaced, typed or written): Write a letter to me to help me get to know you better as a student. How do you learn best? What are your hopes and concerns for the school year. Do you have any special needs?
Sample Name Poem by Sandra Cisneros (download)
Homework (due Monday August 24th, approx. 1 page, double-spaced, typed or written) To help me get to know you better, write a poem reflecting on your name. Try to include at least five different literary devices such as similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, assonance, and alliteration. Have fun! Be creative!
Homework (due August 28th): Don't forget to complete some research about the purpose and history of your section of The Bill of Rights prior to the presentations on Friday, August 28th.
Civics Period 2 Homework (due Weds. Sept. 2nd) Read chapter 1 of We the People and answer questions on pg. 10.
Civics Period 3 Homework (due Sept. 9th): Turn in We the People answers from questions on pages XV through XVIII, which was due Friday, Sept. 4th. Read chapter one of We the People and answer questions on page 10. Due on
Civics Homework (due Fri. Sept. 11th): Please complete the reading for lessons 9, 10, and 11 in Foundations of Democracy, pages 92-102. Answer the questions in the text as they arrive in your reading. Use the chart on page 98 to analyze the competing interests presented in the sample cases or fact patterns. Skip the congressional hearing activity on page 101. Skip the sections that you completed in class with partners.
Homework due Mon. Sept. 21st: Find a news or magazine article about our current healthcare debate to share and discuss in class.
Homework now due Oct. 2nd: Create a list of the pros and cons related to the current healthcare debate. Use at least 4 different sources for your research. You need to find both liberal and conservative view points. Your list should be about two pages long, handwritten or typed. Longer is OK, bullets are also OK, full sentences and paragraphs are not required.
Homework for Oct. 9th: Please work on preparing your section of the We The People Congressional Hearing. If all students have completed their chapter readings, summarized their readings, and answers their hearing questions, we will be ready to hit our library research on Monday, Oct. 12th.
Homework due Oct. 19th: We the People unit presentations begin Monday, Oct. 19th. Please complete any needed preparations at home as we will have no more class time to prepare.
Homework due Nov. 4th and 5th: Write your speech for the We the People Congressional Hearings. We will have time in class on Nov. 3rd to finalize and practice speeches, however, most of this work must be completed at home. Hearings are scheduled for Nov. 4th and 5th. Because I have asked others to donate time as judges, there are no extensions for the presentations.
Unit Test for We the People on Nov. 18th and 19th. Review your pretest and the Bill of Rights to prepare for the exam.
Present Your Candidate on November 30th, after Thanksgiving break. You will need a brochure or commercial, a short speech with campaign promises, and a slogan or motto like "Change You Can Believe In". On Monday Nov. 23rd bring to class the sheet brainstorming the qualitied of a good president. You will have two days in the library, Nov. 23rd and 24th, to create your campaign. Directions for Presidential Campaigns
Foreign Policy Issue Research and Opinion papers are due Dec. 11th. This will be our last large assignment. I'll review footnote citation format in class. Directions for Your Foreign Policy Research Paper
Seventh Grade World History
Seventh Grade World History Syllabus Fall 2009 (download)
Summary of World History Units (download)
Homework (due Mon. Aug. 24th, approx. 1 page, double-spaced, typed or written): Write a letter to me to help me get to know you better as a student. How do you learn best? What are your hopes and concerns for the school year. Do you have any special needs?
Sample Name Poem by Sandra Cisneros We will discuss meaning and discover literary devices on Friday Aug. 21st.
Homework (due Mon. Aug. 24th, approx. 1 page, double-spaced, typed or written) To help me get to know you better, write a poem reflecting on your name. Try to include at least five different literary devices such as similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, assonance, and alliteration. Use the sample poem as a guide and have fun!
Reminder for Friday Sept. 4th: For a more detailed outline of the units we will study this year in World History, click on this download Summary of World History Units. Also, we have benchmark testing the next two weeks.
Homework NOW due Monday, Sept. 21th: Discussing Your Thoughts About Civilizations Essay This assignment was originally a persuasive essay. However, some students thought that they were to write a report about the civilization of Sumer. To help them to move into a persuasive mode, I have changed the assignment to a persuasive letter to the elders of your tribe. The overall structure should follow the five paragraph essay (introduction, 3+ paragraphs in the body, and a conclusion). Students may borrow the following introduction to get them started. WE will brainstorm, outline, and begin writing in class. Students may need some time to complete the assignment at home.
Dear Elders,
The youth of our community feel that there are great benefits to our moving from hunting and gathering to become a civilization. Our Sumerian neighbors have already made this exciting transition with great success. This letter will explain how we can also reap great benefits ______________, ____________, and _____________ by becoming a civilization.
Homework for Fri. Sept. 25th: Find a news report, internet article, or magazine article that comments on the lives of youth in other parts of the world today. Be prepared to share your research with the class.
Homework due Monday, Oct. 19th: Please finish designing your own Roman style God or Goddess (name, description, symbol, how he/she came to exist, other interesting details). Next, finish creating a myth about your God/Goddess. Your myth should be about a page long, longer is ok. It does not have to be typed. Have fun!
Medieval Monopoly I will provide posterboard for the games. We will have time in class Nov. 2nd and 3rd to put the games together. During Fall break, please pick up other materials that your team would like to include in your game.
Homework due Monday, Nov. 23rd: On Monday we will put the final touches on your Constantinople brochures. Over the weekend please complete the remaining parts of your brochure (1. a memorable slogan, 2. a map showing where Constantinople is located, 3. four paragraphs of info. about the city's geography, government, religion, and daily life, 4. four visuals, and 5. extra creative touches to make your advertisement look authentic). Be sure to run spellcheck, also.
Honors American Literature
Honors American Literature Syllabus Fall 2009 (download)
Homework (due Mon. Aug. 24th, approx. 1 page, double-spaced, typed or written): Write a letter to me to help me get to know you better as a student. How do you learn best? What are your hopes and concerns for the school year. Do you have any special needs?
Sample Name Poem by Sandra Cisneros (download)
Homework (due Monday August 24th, approx. 1 page, double-spaced, typed or written) To help me get to know you better, write a poem reflecting on your name. Try to include at least five different literary devices such as similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, assonance, and alliteration. Have fun! Be creative!
Homework (due Monday Aug. 31st.) Finish reading American Dream poems in Springboard, pages 31-40. Complete the exercises in the text, focusing on themes, symbols, patterns, and how the hopes and ideals contrast with the hurts and disillusions. Be prepared on Monday to discuss your thoughts about the poems and American dreams.
Homework (due Friday, Sept. 4th) Now that you have read, analyzed, and discussed a number of poems about the American Dream, you will write your own American Dream poem. Choose a phrase, image, or line from one of the poems you read as a springboard for your own poem. Tie the image, phrase, or line into your own poem in some manner. We will share the poems in class on Friday. In addition, please provide Ms. Threet with a clean final draft.
Teamwork (NOW due Tues., Sept. 15th) Puritan, Transcendentalist, and Revolutionary research teams will present on Friday, Sept. 11th. Your presentation should include a comprehensive overview of your philosophy along with a poster. Your poster may include pictures, words, symbols, major philosophy or values, history, and/or sample writings by famous Puritans, Transcendentalists, and Revolutionaries.
Individual journaling (NOW due Tues. Sept. 15th) Each person in the class must also turn in his/her own journal with: (1) answers to the Springboard questions (pages 13, 14, 15, and 16), (2) a summary or a primary source, (3) and three column notes about your Puritan, Revolutionary, and/or Transcendentalist readings (Springboard pages 17-30).
Scarlet Letter Assignment #1 (NOW due Weds. Sept. 16th): (1) Read the 1st two chapters of The Scarlet Letter - The Prison Door and the Market Place. (2) Describe the first settings and scenes. Why do these events take place? (3) Describe the characters that you meet in the opening two chapters, (4) What are your thoughts so far about the community?
Two Week Schedule in a Nutshell: 1) Fri. Sept. 11th - finish and discuss "The Minister's Black Veil", Philosophical teams assign jobs for presentation on Tues., 2) Mon. Sept. 14th - discuss 1st chapters of The Scarlet Letter, Philosophical teams put together their presentations, 3) Tues. Sept 15th - Philosophy presentations, 4) Weds. Sept. 16th - Benchmarks day 2, 5) Fri. Sept. 18th - No school for students.
Homework #2 for Scarlet Letter (due Weds. Sept. 23rd): Read chapters three through 6 in Scarlet Letter. Add more details to your character sketches. List the conflicts you have found thus far. What moral conflicts and/or compromises do you see? What interesting or amusing phrases have you found?
Homework #3 for Scarlet Letter (now due Friday Oct. 2nd): Read chapters 7 through 11 of Scarlet Letter. Continue development of your character sketches. What new details can you add to further explore the main characters? Look for conflicts (man v. man, man v. God, man v. nature, and man v. himself/herself). Explore symbols (ex: the rosebush by the prison, the black man or devil, the letter A, crimson and scarlet colors, Hester herself, Dimmsdale, Pearl, etc.), Also, please begin a list of elements that are ironic. There is a lot.
Homework #4 for Scarlet Letter (due Monday Oct. 12th) Read chapters 12 through 18. Please complete a paragraph freewrite for each chapter. Reflect on the themes and lessons about humanity.
Homework #5 for Scarlet Letter (due Mon. Oct. 19th) Please finish the novel, chapter 19 through the end. Reflect on sin and redemption. How does the individual find redemption? The final projects for this novel will include a essay and an artistic project. The essay will explore sin and redemption. The art should explore the novel's symbolism and another major theme (maybe fear, power, or inner strength, the power of suggestion, alienation)
The Scarlet Letter Essay and Art Due Nov. 5th.
Review Questions for The Crucible and As it is in Heaven Due Nov. 2nd
Last Major Due Dates for the Semester:
Freewrite number #1 for Grapes of Wrath, The Jungle, and Sound and the Fury - Due Nov. 23rd. Please complete 3-4 entries reflecting on your readings. Please include your thoughts regarding setting, characters, conflicts, and anything else you find interesting.
American Dream Survey - a draft of your survey is due Nov. 23rd. The completed survey is due Dec. 7th. Review the directions on pages 78-82 of your Springboard book.
Synthesizing the American Dream Essay is due Dec. 16th. Please review the directions and rubric on pages 92-95 of your Springboard. Remember that I am requesting at least five sources and parenthetical citations. I will review MLA and APA citation formats in class.
Grades and the Parent Portal
- It takes about ten hours to grade one class set of essays. Therefore, essay grades may not appear on the grade reports for a number of weeks.
- Due to school activities, field trips, student illness, art activities and other unforeseen delays, I may extend the due date for a particular assignment. The new due date will be posted on the whiteboard in the front of the classroom and updated on the webpage.
- Missing/late homework can be submitted up to one week before the end of a nine-week grading period for partial credit. Remember even a low score is better than a 0.
- A poor essay score can be corrected by rewriting the deficient essay(s).
The best method for contacting me with questions regarding grades and/or assignments is via e-mail.