Wrapping Up 2014-15, Preparing for 2015-16, Thanks, & Summer Wishes

Students helped put away materials and set up rooms for the coming school year. Many thanks for this, students.

It has been a pleasure working with you wonderful young people. I sincerely appreciate your effort and expertise, creativity and collaboration, debate and discussion. I learned much from you and look forward to doing so next school year.

Have a safe, rewarding, and restful summer!

Eucharist & Awards Ceremony

Class did not meet due to special end-of-the-year events. Our seventh graders won numerous awards, for which we heartily congratulate them!

Research Presentations + Governors of Texas & the Solid South

Today our students:

• Completed their Research Presentations
• Examined & discussed a list of Governors of Texas, noting how after Reconstruction until the late 1970s, every governor of Texas was a Democrat. Since 1995, every governor has been a Republican.
• Compared the Texas governorships with lists of governors of other southern states, including Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Florida.

Assignments: None

Decades Presentations + Research Essay Review

Students today:

• Made presentations on the Modern Texas decades in which they chose to specialize - Good job, guys!
• Got back their graded Research Essays, on which they did quite well

Assignment for Tuesday, 5/26: Research Presentation (if you did not to do it on Thursday, 5/21) - Note that this has been moved up one day.

Enjoy your three-day Memorial Day weekend!

Research Essay + Research Presentation

How was your experience different?

Students:

• Wrote their Research Project Essays
• Made or listened to a Research Project Presentation

Assignments
For Friday - My Decades Presentations

• Walk us through Texas during your two decades.
• Use whatever presentation media you have chosen: website you created, PowerPoint, online app(s), trifold, etc.
• Be sure to show us how Texas changed during the decade:
• How Texas was at the beginning of each decade
• How Texas was at the end of each decade
• The major events & developments that brought about the various changes during each decade

For Tuesday, 5/26 - Research Presentation if you did not to do it on Thursday, 5/21

Quiz over Ch. 24-26 Summaries + Research Essay Planning

The post title pretty much says it all: students took the quiz and spent the rest of the period planning out their Research Essay, to be written in class tomorrow.

Assignments

For Thursday
1. Research Essay - Come prepared to write your 45-minute Research Essay in class.

• You can write it from memory for a possible grade of 110.
• Or you may use a 20-word prompt and still make a grade of 100.
• On a student's suggestion, you may use a 10-word prompt for a possible grade of 105.

2. Research Presentation - if you choose to do it on Thursday

For Friday - My Decades Presentations

• Walk us through Texas during your two decades.
• Use whatever presentation media you have chosen: website you created, PowerPoint, online app(s), trifold, etc.
• Be sure to show us how Texas changed during the decade:
• How Texas was at the beginning of each decade
• How Texas was at the end of each decade
• The major events & developments that brought about the various changes during each decade

For Wednesday, 5/27 - Research Presentation should you decide not to do it on Thursday, 5/21

Research Project + Decades Assignment + Quiz Prep

Today students:

• Continued working on their Research Project
• Worked on Steps 10 & 11
• Organized their notes
• Began planning their Research Essay
• Worked on the Decades Assignment
• Studied for the Quiz over Ch. 24-26 Summaries

Assignments

For Wednesday -
1. Quiz over Ch. 24-25-26 Summaries - The Quiz will take no more than 20 minutes.
2. Research Notes Due - Steps 10 & 11 -

• You will be given time in class on Tuesday to work on the Research Notes for Steps 10 & 11. You will then finish taking the notes at home.
• By Tuesday night, if you don't have enough information to write a 45-minute Research Essay, do a Google search for (My Topic) in Texas (or something like that) and then take more notes from appropriate sources. 
• Be sure you gather and organize enough information to write a thorough, 45-minute essay in class on Thursday.

3. You will be given time in class on Wednesday to organize and plan your essay.

• Read over and organize your notes before you arrive in class. 
• This will help you plan your essay.

For Thursday

1. Research Essay - Come prepared to write your 45-minute Research Essay in class.
2. Research Presentation - if you choose to do it on Thursday

For Friday - My Decades Presentations

• Walk us through Texas during your two decades.
• Use whatever presentation media you have chosen: website you created, PowerPoint, online app(s), trifold, etc.
• Be sure to show us how Texas changed during the decade:
• How Texas was at the beginning of each decade
• How Texas was at the end of each decade
• The major events & developments that brought about the various changes during each decade

Review Modern Texas + Research Project + Decades Assignment

Today our students:

• Reviewed the Modern Texas column of the Chart: Time Periods of Texas History
• Worked on Steps 8 & 9 of the Research Project
• Worked on the Modern Texas: My Decades assignment

Assignments

For Tuesday - Research Notes Due-Steps 8 & 9

For Wednesday -
1. Quiz over Ch. 24-25-26 Summaries - The Quiz will take no more than 20 minutes.
2. Research Notes Due - Steps 10 & 11 -

• You will be given time in class on Tuesday to work on the Research Notes for Steps 10 & 11. You will then finish taking the notes at home.
• By Tuesday night, if you don't have enough information to write a 45-minute Research Essay, do a Google search for (My Topic) in Texas (or something like that) and then take more notes from appropriate sources. 
• Be sure you gather and organize enough information to write a thorough, 45-minute essay in class on Thursday.

3. You will be given time in class on Wednesday to organize and plan your essay.

• Read over and organize your notes before you arrive in class. 
• This will help you plan your essay.

For Thursday

1. Research Essay - Come prepared to write your 45-minute Research Essay in class.
2. Research Presentation - if you choose to do it on Thursday

For Friday - My Decades Presentations

• Walk us through Texas during your two decades.
• Use whatever presentation media you have chosen: website you created, PowerPoint, online app(s), trifold, etc.
• Be sure to show us how Texas changed during the decade:
• How Texas was at the beginning of each decade
• How Texas was at the end of each decade
• The major events & developments that brought about the various changes during each decade

Research Project Planning + Decade-by-Decade, cont'd + Galveston. . .Storm Discussion

Today our students:

• Discussed and finalized plans for the Research Project
• Explored online sites (Wix, Weebly, etc.) for possible Project Presentations
• Augmented their Decade-by-Decade timelines with information from the appropriate textbook chapters
• Were asked to be considering the following for each of their decades:
• What were the 2 or 3 most important events during each decad?
• How did Texas change during the decade?: 
• How was it at the beginning of the decade?
• How was it at the end of the decade?
• What happened to cause the change(s)?
• Held a possibly concluding discussion of Galveston's Summer of the Storm - Discussion notes here.

Assignments

For Tuesday - Finish Steps 8 & 9 of the Research Project

For Wednesday - Quiz over Ch. 24-25-26 Summaries

For Thursday

1. You will write your 45-minute Research Project Essay in class.
2. If you choose, you will do your Research Project Presentation after the Essay.

For Wednesday, 5/28 - If you prefer to do your Presentation on this day, you may.

Decade-by-Decade + Online Timelines + Unit 8 Summaries

Today our students:

• Began their study of "Modern" Texas 1950-The Present
• Chose two decades between 1950 & the present to focus on
• Tried various online timeline sites and made a timeline of their two decades
• Read two of the Unit 8 Chapter Summaries

Assignments for Friday

1. Research Notes for Steps 6 & 7 are due.
2. 1-Pager from Fehrenbach's Lone Star should be posted at your blog.

Chapel + Quiz over Ch. 22/23 Summaries + Silent Reading

Students today:

• Attended Wednesday Chapel
• Took the Quiz over the Ch. 22 & 23 Summaries (Great Depression, New Deal, & World War II)
• Began silently reading Chapters 22 & 23 in the textbook

Assignments

For Thursday

1. Finish reading Ch. 22 & 23 in your textbook
2. Finish reading Galveston's Summer of the Storm & come prepared to discuss it.
3. Be thinking how we might do a decade-by-decade study of "Modern Texas" (1950-Present)

For Friday

1. Research Notes for Steps 6 & 7 are due.
2. 1-Pager from Fehrenbach's Lone Star should be posted on your blog.

For Thursday, 5/21/15 -

1. You will write your 45-minute, in-class essay summarizing what you learned about Research Project topic. 
2. If you want to do your presentation on Thursday, you can present after the Essay.

For Wednesday, 5/27/15 - If you don't do your presentation on Thursday, 5/21, you will do the presentation for your Research Project in class on Wednesday.

Discussion of GSotS Ch. 8 + Brief Research Project Reports + Business Cycle 1914-1945

Today students:

• Participated in the Intruder Drill
• Discussed Ch. 8 of Galveston's Summer of the Storm
• Gave brief oral reports on their research so far
• Looked at but didn't have time to get started on a Graph of the Business Cycle 1914-1945

Assignments

For Wednesday

1. Quiz over Ch. 22 & 23 Summaries
2. Fill out your column of the Graph of the Business Cycle - Progressive Era-World War II
3. Read and come prepared to discuss Ch. 9 of GSotS.

For Friday

1. 1-Pager - Post on your blog.
2. Research Project Notes on Steps 6 & 7

Roaring Twenties: Symbols of the 1920s & the Current Decade

Today students:

• Took advantage of the rescheduling of the Ch. 22/23 Quiz to focus on the 1920s
• Speculated as to what might be symbols of the current decade (See right-hand column of this table.)
• Read a play called Symbols of the 1920s
• Collaborated on the 1920s column of the table, jotting symbols mentioned in the play
• Watched short videos of flagpole sitting & scenes of the 1920s

Assignments

For Tuesday: Read Chapter 8 of GSotS & come prepared to discuss it.

For Wednesday: Quiz over Ch. 22/23 Summaries: GD/ND & WW II

Research Project + Ch. 22/23 Summaries + Oil Map Analysis + Galveston's Summer of the Storm

Today our students:

• Worked on the next step of their Research Project
• Read, discussed, and analyzed the Chapter 22 & 23 Summaries (Great Depression, New Deal, & World War II) - Quiz next week
• Analyzed maps of Texas Petroleum Discoveries, 1901-1929
• Discussed (or read) Ch. 7 of Galveston's Summer of the Storm (Students who had not done the reading prior to class did it during class.)

Assignments

For Monday: Read Ch. 8 of GSotS & come prepared to discuss it.

For Tuesday Wednesday: Quiz over Ch. 22 & 23 Summaries (Date changed.)

Finished Quiz + Read Ch. 21 + Research Project + Discussed Ch. 5 of GSotS + Petroleum in Texas 1902-29

Today our students:

• Finished yesterday's Quiz over Ch. 20/21 Summaries
• Read Ch. 21 on WW I & the Roaring 20s
• Worked on their Research Project
• Discussed Ch. 5 of Galveston's Summer of the Storm
• Analyzed a Map of Major Petroleum Discoveries in Texas, 1901-1929
• 
  

Assignments - for Friday

1. Finish reading Ch. 21 in your textbook.
2. Be ready to have your Research Project notes graded through Step 5.
3. Write your weekly 1-Pager from Fehrenbach and post it to your blog.
4. Read Ch. 6 of Galveston's Summer of the Storm and be prepared to discuss it.

Quiz - Ch. 20/21 Summaries + Reading Ch. 20 & GSotS

Once again, our students knew so much about the chapters over which they were being quizzed that taking the Quiz was all most of them had time to complete.

Assignments

For Thursday
1. Read Ch. 6 of GSotS

• Come prepared to discuss. 
• Notice the important historical references in the chapter.

2. Read Ch. 20 in your textbook to learn more details about the Progressive Era.

• Mentally compare the account of the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 with what we are learning in GSotS.
• Pay close attention to Spindletop and how this first huge owl gusher began the transformation of Texas and the United States.
• Notice the details about the Progressive Era reforms.and the  discriminatory treatment of African Americans and Mexican Americans

For Friday - Complete Steps 4 & 5 for the Research Project.

Research Project - Galveston's Summer of the Storm

Click here to see an enlarged view of the collapsed school building.

Our students today:

• Worked on their Research Project
• Tried to get caught up on any missing assignments
• Discussed Chapter 3 of Galveston's Summer of the Storm (GSotS)

Assignments for Wednesday

1. Quiz-Ch. 20 & 21 Summaries: Progressive Era, World War I, Roaring 20s
2. Read and come prepared to discuss Ch. 4 GSotS

Assignment for Friday: Complete Steps 4 & 5 of the Research Project.

Progressive Era Presidents + Ch. 21 Summary + GalHurr Discussion #2

Today we:

• Viewed and discussed the Crash Course video on the Progressive Presidents

• Read & discussed the Ch. 21 Summary on World War I & the Roaring 20s in Texas
• Discussed Ch. 2 of Galveston's Summer of the Storm and made a list of historical references we have encountered thus far

Assignment for Tuesday

1. Rewatch the Crash Course video on the Progressive Presidents
2. Quiz over Ch. 20 & 21 Summaries: Progressive Era, World War I, & Roaring 20s
3. Read and come prepared to discuss Ch. 3 in GSofS

Research + Ch. 1 Discussion-Galveston + Progressivism + Crash Course Vid

Students:

• Continued gathering information on their Research Project topics
• Worked with the iSpeech App (due to the teacher's being almost unable to speak due to a bad cough)
• Discussed the main character as seen in Ch. 1 of GSotS (Galveston's Summer of the Storm)
• Wrote down what they understood by "progressivism" based on what we'd read and viewed so far
• Finished the Crash Course vid on The Progressive Era
• Began the Crash Course vid on the Progressive Presidents, but got stuck on TR (which was fine: Rough Rider who loved motto "Speak softly and carry a big stick" & is often depicted in his uniform and carrying a big stick)

Assignments

For Monday

1. Read Ch. 2 of GSotS & come prepared to ask questions and discuss.
2. Rewatch the Crash Course vid on The Progressive Era and finish filling out the GooDoc table we began.

For Tuesday - Quiz over Ch. 20 & 21 Summaries: Progressive Era, WW I, & Roaring 20s

Research Project + Pre-Reading for Galveston's Summer of the Storm + Galveston Hurricane of 1900 + Crash Course Vid on Progressive Era

Students today:

• Worked on their Research Project on a 20th/21st-Century topic of their choice
• Wrote ideas and stories about storms and hurricanes in anticipation of reading Julie Lake's Galveston's Summer of the Storm; click here to see the GooDoc of what we came up with
• Read a HOTO article on the Galveston Hurricane of 1900
• Viewed most of a Crash Course video on The Progressive Era

Assignments

For Friday

1. Read Chapter 1 of Galveston's Summer of the Storm; come prepared to discuss it and apply what we learned from HOTO about the 1900 hurricane
2. Finish Steps 1-4 on the Step-by-Step Research Procedure for your 20th-Century Research Project.
3. Read and write your 1-Pager from Fehrenbach's Lone Star and post it at your blog.

For Tuesday: Quiz over Ch. 20 & 21 Chapter Summaries

Flags + Chapel + Research Project + Unit 7 Chapter Summaries + Timeline of 20th/21st Centuries

Students today:

• Held our daily flag ceremony
• Attended chapel
• Announced their Research Project topics
• Displayed the pictures they had collected on their topics
• Took research notes from the first couple of sources on the Step-by-Step Procedure GooDoc
• Began our study of the years 1900-1950
• Examined the handout of the Unit 7 Chapter Summaries and read the one for Chapter 20: A New Century (Progressive Era 1900-1920)
• Examined a simple Timeline of the 20th & 21st Centuries

Assignments
For Friday

1. Complete the first 4 steps of the Step-by-Step Procedure
2. Be sure to SHARE your Step-by-Step GooDoc with me. 
3. Please give me permission to edit it so I can write suggestions on it.

For Tuesday: Quiz over Ch. 20 & 21 Summaries - Many thanks to dear old young 12345 for already making a Quizlet!

Research Project + Twain's Jumping Frog

Today students:

• Received preliminary instructions for a Research Project over Texas History, 1900-2015
• Paged through Chapters 20-27 in the textbook to get an overview look at Texas history from 1900-2003 and to examine pictures and topics that might interest them for the research project
• Examined "A Step-by-Step Procedure for Research in Texas History"
• It was pointed out that they will begin their research with a source containing visual representations of their topic. 
• They will then go to a source with a small amount of information on their topic and then proceed to sources with increasingly detailed information.
• Discussed (finally!) Mark Twain's short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." Notes on some of what was said can be found here.

Assignments for Wednesday:

1. Finish paging through Ch. 20-27 in your textbook.
2. Choose your topic.
3. Begin Step 1 of "A Step-by-Step Procedure" by collecting pictures, maps, and diagrams of your topic. 

Quiz over Ch. 18 & 19 (Gilded Age)

Students today:

Knew so much about the Gilded Age that they spent most or all of the period demonstrating their knowledge on the quiz over Chapters 18 & 19 (Ranching & Farming/Politics & Progress).

Assignments for Tuesday:
1. Read Ch. 18 & 19 in the textbook.
2. Review Twain's ". . . Jumping Frog . . ." and come prepared to discuss it.

Gilded Age Railroad Growth + Read Ch. 19 Summary + Temple, TX Founded in 1881 + Twain's "Jumping Frog"

Students today:

• Analyzed and compared railroad growth in the USA & Texas during the Gilded Age

• Read, discussed, and analyzed the Ch. 19 Summary: Politics & Progress
• Wrote their own version of "Temple, Texas," as it might appear in the Handbook of Texas Online (HOTO) & compared their versions with the HOTO version
• Very briefly discussed Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County"--to be continued on Monday

Assignment for Monday:
1. Quiz over the Ch. 18 & 19 Summaries

• Learn the worded information, maps and pictures.
• Many thanks to Mr. 12345 for the excellent Quizlet below, the Ch. 18 Picture Study Guide, and Ch. 19 Picture Study Guide.

2. Be ready to continue our discussion of Twain's ". . . Jumping Frog . . .."

Frontier Lines + Turner's Frontier Thesis + "Man with the Big Hat" + Mini-Debate + Mark Twain

Students today:

• Analyzed a 5-map sequence showing the movement of the frontier in American history

• Learned basic arguments in Frederick Jackson Turner's 1893 "Frontier Thesis"

• Analyzed the Frummox song, "Man with the Big Hat"

• Listened to Frummox sing the song (via recording, not in person)

• Held a mini-debate based on the last line of the song, in which the man with the big hat states that if it wasn't (sic) for the life the cowboys led there wouldn't be no (sic) West. The question students debated was: Who was more important in the settlement of the Great Plains of Texas: the soldiers or the cowboys?

Assignments

For Friday

1. Read Mark Twain's short story (clicky clicky), "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County."
2. Write five discussion questions over the story and post them on your blog.
3. Come prepared to discuss the story.

For Monday: Quiz over Ch. 18 & Ch. 19 Summaries

Earth Day & Arbor Day

Students attended chapel and participated in the Earth Day/Arbor Day celebration.

Cattle Trails Analysis + Cattle Drive Organization + Google Hangout w/ Vacationing Student + Ch. 18 Summary

Today our students did the following learning activities:

• Looked at their Map Analysis: Cattle Trails, begun on Friday
• Added to it by speculating as to How a Cattle Trail Drive Was Organized
• Used Google Hangouts to interact and collaborate with Student 12345, who was vacationing with his family in the Southeast
• Read and discussed a blogpost on cattle drives at the Cactus Rose blog
• Read and briefly discussed the Ch. 18 Summary: Ranching & Farming

Assignment for Monday, 4/27: Quiz over Ch. 18 & 19 Summaries (including maps, pictures, diagram)

Peaceable Kingdom

Students enjoyed the Peaceable Kingdom field trip.

Gilded Age, cont'd - Began Ch. 18 on Ranching & Farming + Cowboys Survey + Cattle Trails + Ch. 18 Summary

Today our wonderful students:

• Began our study of "the Cowboy Era," (although the first cowboys - vaqueros - were during the Spanish Period)
• Responded to a student's question, What Makes a Person a Cowboy?
• Listened to The Smother Brothers' reductionist version of how to be a cowboy (begins c. 2:40)

• Responded to a Survey - Are You a Cowboy?
• Did some Map Analysis-Cattle Trails
• Discussed whether the cowboy should the iconic symbol of Texans

Assignments: None

Stanford Achievement Tests-Day 3

Stanford Achievement Tests-Day 2

Stanford Achievement Tests-Day 1

TL Quiz-1861-Present + Debate Planning + Debate: Indians + Discuss Canyons

Today our students:

• Took the Timeline Quiz over U. S. History 1861-Present
• Got with their teammate and planned strategy for the Debate: Were the white men and buffalo soldiers right in invading West Texas and defeating the Indians, slaughtering the buffalo, and placing the Indians on reservations? 
• Debated - Both sides made excellent arguments and backed them with sound reasoning and evidence.
• Briefly discussed the third reading in Gary Paulsen's Canyons, particularly the question as to whether the picture on one of the book covers accurately depicts how Brennan discovered the skull.

Assignment for Friday: Read the rest of Canyons by Friday. It is probably a good idea to keep up with the schedule given you several days ago, just to make sure you don't have too heavy a reading load on Thursday night.

• Students will be taking the Stanford Achievement Tests the next three days, and will be using classroom time after finishing each section of the test to read the rest of the book by this coming Friday, 4/17/15.. 
• We will have the Grand Discussion of it this coming Friday.

Quiz over Ch. 17 Summary + Gala Prep + GA Indians Chart + Timeline Quiz Prep

Today our students:

• Took the Quiz over the Ch. 17 Summary: Clash of Cultures
• Helped with Gala Prep
• Continued working on the Gilded Age - Chart - Gilded Age - Final Defeat of the Indians
• Briefly discussed the Timeline Quiz coming up on Monday

Assignments for Monday

1. Quiz - Timeline of U.S. History 1861-Present - Click here to use the Animated TL Quiz Prep ppt. I made for you (if you want to).

• Learn names of Time Periods.
• All else (dates, symbols, descriptions) counts as EXTRA CREDIT.

2. Read pp. 57-84 in Canyons and come prepared to discuss.
3. Finish your part of the Chart - Gilded Age - Final Defeat of the Indians.

• Fill in the rest of the Details of What Happened for your 3 topics.
• Fill in the two columns on the right for your 3 topics.

"Gilded" Followup - Ch. 17 Summary - Map: West Texas Wars - Chart: Final Defeat of Indians of Texas - 1st Discussion of Canyons

On this day, students:

• Examined the GooDoc with Examples of "Gilded" During the Gilded Age
• Noted that in some ways every time period and indeed each of us is in some ways "gilded"
• Read and discussed the Chapter 17 Summary: Cultures in Conflict - to understand and to prepare for tomorrow's Ch. 17 Quiz
• Looked at the map called "West Texas Wars" & came up with different titles for it, based on one's opinion of what was taking place
• Considered three questions related to events in Ch. 17:
• Was it right for the Texans and U. S. troops to go into West Texas and defeat the Indians?
• Was it right to carry out the slaughter of the buffalo?
• Was it right to place the Indians on reservations? 
• Worked collaboratively on the Chart - Gilded Age: Final Defeat of the Indians of Texas
• Discussed pp. 3-27 of Gary Paulsen's novel Canyons - See notes here.

• 
  

Assignments

For Friday

1. Quiz-Ch. 17 Summary: Cultures in Conflict - Many thanks to Sr. 12345 for the excellent, highly helpful Quizlet Study Cards:

2. Read pp. 29-54 in Canyons and be prepared to discuss. Here's the reading schedule for Canyons:

Date Due	Pages
Th, 4/9/15	3-27
F, 4/10	29-54
M, 4/13	57-84
Tu, 4/14	87-115
W, 4/15	117-150
Th, 4/16	153-184

For Monday: Quiz over Timeline: U. S. History 1861-Present (Names of time periods required; all else is EXTRA CREDIT)

TL of African American History + Brief Summary of Gilded Age + Examples of "Gilded" + Paulsen's Canyons

Today students:

• Examined and analyzed a Timeline of African-American History
• Read and discussed A Brief Summary of the Gilded Age
• Began working on a GooDoc giving examples of how the Gilded Age was "gilded"

Assignments

For Thursday

1. Fill out the GooDoc on "Gilded" - I've shared it with you, so please check your Gmail.
2. Read pp. 3-27 in Gary Paulsen's historical novel, Canyons.

• Be prepared to discuss it tomorrow. 
• Be thinking especially how to relate the story to what we are studying in Chapter 17: Cultures in Conflict (the final defeat of the Indians of Texas)

For Friday: Quiz over Chapter 17 Summary

For Monday: Quiz over Timeline of U. S. History 1861-Present

• You only need to be able to write the names of the time periods in their correct locations.
• You may do the dates, symbols, and other information for EXTRA CREDIT.

Solid South + Review TxHist through Reconstruction + Preview TxHist GA to Present + Overview U.S. History 1861-Present

Today our students:

• Examined maps showing "the Solid South" - solid for the Democratic Party for most of the years after Reconstruction until the 1960s, increasingly solid for the Republican Party since the 1960s
• Reviewed Texas history through Reconstruction, using CHART: Time Periods of Texas History
• Previewed what we will be studying the rest of the school year: Gilded Age, Early 20th Century, Modern Texas (using the same CHART)
• Got an Overview look at U. S. history from 1861-the Present, using this Timeline
• Did some oral drill over the Timeline 1861-the Present

Assignments:

For Wednesday: None

For Monday, 4/13 - Quiz over Timeline 1861-Present - You only need to write the names of the time periods in their correct locations. Dates & Symbols & other Info are for Extra Credit.

Discussion of Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge + Review for Quiz + Reconstruction Quiz

Today students:

• Discussed Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" - Click here for interesting cartoon sequence seen above. Apparently the artists used this film version:

• Did some review for the Reconstruction Quiz
• Took the Reconstruction Quiz: Brief Summary of Reconstruction, Chapter 16 Summary, Timeline of Reconstruction

Assignment: Happy Easter! Enjoy your four-day weekend.

Eucharist + Silent Reading + Chart & Practice: 3 Reconstruction Plans + Crash Course Video

Today our young scholars:

• Attended Eucharistic Chapel
• Read silently Ch. 16/Sec. 1 on Presidential Reconstruction in Texas
• Studied & did a spot of oral practice over Chart: The 3 Reconstruction Plans: Lincoln, Johnson, Radical Republican
• Viewed a Crash Course Video on Reconstruction (See below.)

Assignment for Thursday: Quiz over Reconstruction - Be sure and study the following:

• A Brief Summary of Reconstruction
• Timeline of Reconstruction
• Ch. 16 Summary: Reconstruction (in Texas)
• Chart: The 3 Reconstruction Plans

Smiley Face Theory of Reconstruction - Andrew Johnson On the Freedmen - Good Old Rebel - Black Codes - 5 Military Districts

On this day, students deepened their knowledge of Reconstruction by doing the following:

• Applied the Smiley Face Theory of Reconstruction to hypothesize as to why it was almost impossible to solve the two major problems of Reconstruction simultaneously (Leniency to the Southern rebels leads to persecution of the freedmen; helping the freedmen causes anger and violence by Southern whites toward freedmen.)
• Read, analyzed, and listened to the song, "The Good Old Rebel."
• Briefly analyzed a Thomas Nast cartoon depicting a ex-CSA soldier
• Analyzed a passage from a biography of President Andrew Johnson showing his hateful, racist attitude toward the freedmen
• Read and analyzed a Black Code
• Learned and used mnenomic devices for remembering the 5 Military Districts under Radical Reconstruction

Assignments

For Wednesday: Read and come prepared to discuss the Ambrose Bierce short story, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge."

For Thursday: Prepare for Thursday's Quiz over Reconstruction - See details from yesterday's blog.

Pennies for Pasta - Brief Summary of Reconstruction - Reconstruction Timeline

Today students:

• Learned about the Pennies for Pasta Project
• Read, analyzed, and discussed A Brief Summary of Reconstruction
• Briefly viewed A Timeline of Reconstruction (still under construction at the time)

Assignments

For Tuesday: One-Pager from Fehrenbach's Lone Star - Post at your blog.

For Thursday: Quiz over the following:

• A Brief Summary of Reconstruction
• Timeline of Reconstruction
• Ch. 16 Summary: Reconstruction (in Texas)
• Chart: The 3 Reconstruction Plans

Field Trip to Austin

Students travelled to the State Capital to visit the State Capitol, the Bob Bullock Museum, and the Texas Governor's Mansion. Their behavior was exemplary and they were able to apply much of what they have learned so far this year to things they viewed at the three sites.

Assignment for Monday: Have a great weekend!

Quiz-Ch. 15 Summary: The Civil War - Textbook Reading - Planning for Field Trip to Austin

Today our students:

• Took the Quiz over the Chapter 15 Summary: The Civil War
• Read Ch. 15, Sections 2 & 3 in the textbook, mentally filling in details about Texas and the Civil War

Assignment for Friday:
1. Finish reading Ch. 15/Secs. 2 & 3 on Texas and the Civil War.
2. Do some background reading in preparation for tomorrow's field trip to Austin. Click some of the links within the articles to explore further.

• Short Wikipedia Article on Texas State Government
• Texas State Capitol
• Texas Governor's Mansion
• Bob Bullock Museum - Be thinking of some of the things you would particularly like to see.

3. Be thinking about ways we can make our vist to these places as valuable a learning experience as possible. Write your ideas onto this Google Document.

4. No One-Pager due Friday or Monday.

Great-Great-Grandpa Karbach - Ch. 15 Summary - Animated Chronology of CW Battles in Texas - Resources of North & South in 1861

Today our students:

• Viewed pictures and Civil War documents of Great-Great-Grandfather Karbach, a German immigrant to New Braunfels who fought for the Union in the Civil War
• Prepared for tomorrow's Ch. 15 Quiz over the Civil War in Texas by reading & analyzing various parts of it.
• Critiqued the choices made by map designers who showed the South in blue!!!
• Debated whether one of the Taylor brothers resembled a certain student in our school.
• Learned the chronology of Civil War battles in Texas by viewing these Animated Chronology Maps of Civil War Battles in Texas (Actually, one of the maps had disappeared, but it's been restored.)
• Analyzed a table showing comparative Resources of the North & South in 1861

We didn't quite get to these two items, but I'm leaving them here for their links' value.

• Chart-Civil War Battles in Texas
• Ambrose Bierce - "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"

Assignment for Thursday:
1. Quiz over Ch. 15 Summary: The Civil War

• Learn all the wordy stuff.
• Be able to identify and discuss the pictures.
• Show knowledge of the chronology of CW battles in TX (Use the Animated Chronology Maps to prepare.)
• Be able to analyze the other maps.

2. You do not need to do the One-Pager tonight.

Civil War at 3 Key Points - Animated Maps of the Civil War - Chapter 15 Summary

Today students:

• Analyzed The Civil War at 3 Key Points
• Viewed and analyzed a 4-minute animated timeline map of the Civil War (See this compilation for list of some animated maps found at YouTube and elsewhere.)

• Viewed an animation of the Battle of Gettysburg
• Received the Chapter 15 Summary: The Civil War

Assignments

For Wednesday

1. Finish & post at your blog The Civil War at 3 Key Points.
2. Do your One-Pager assignment from Fehrenbach's Lone Star and post it at your blog.

For Thursday: Quiz over Ch. 15 Summary: The Civil War

Texas Secession Document, cont'd - Map Analysis on Secession

Students today:

• Finished reading and annotating the February 2, 1861 document, "A Declaration of the Causes which Impel the State of Texas to Secede from the Federal Union"
• Collaborating on an Analysis of the Secession Document
• Analyzed a map on Texas and Southern Secession

Assignment for Tuesday: Finish your Analysis of the Secession Document. You may continue to work together, but have it ready for submission at the first of the period on Tuesday.

Pictorial Presentations of To Be a Slave - Causes of the Civil War - Texas Secession Document

Eager for Spring Break, students nevertheless:

• Used the projector and their computers to display and explain their Pictorial Presentations of the book To Be a Slave
• Read Ch. 5/Sec. 1 in the textbook on the Causes of the Civil War
• Began reading and annotating a primary source document from the Texas Secession Convention of 1861 called "A Declaration of the Causes which Impel the State of Texas to Secede from the Federal Union."
• Began an analysis of the document
• Worked on the Grade 7 Class Project for the Spring Gala (Many thanks to Mrs. Barnes for her invaluable guidance and assistance!)

Assignment: HAVE A GREAT SPRING BREAK!

Quiz-Finishing & Correctives - Map Analysis: Spread of Slavery

Map Credit

Students today:

• Finished the Essay Question on the Ch. 14 Quiz (if needed)
• Got back their graded Quiz & did Correctives
• Analyzed maps on the spread of slavery from 1790-1860

Assignment for Friday

1. Finish your analysis of the maps on the spread of slavery

• Be sure to:
• Break down the gif. into individual maps
• Write many sentences analysing what you notice about slavery and its spread across the United States between the years 1790 & 1860
• Click here to see interactive map by decades & county--Drag slider by year/hover for info/click to zoom. (And, OF COURSE, you can also zoom by Ctrl-+ & Ctrl-Mouse Wheel!!!!!!!!)

2. Post your Pictorial Presentations of To Be a Slave on your blog

3. Do your Lone Star one-pager & post it to your blog.

Excel Presentations on Slave Population - Housekeeping - Finished Ch. 14 Quiz

Today our students:

• Presented and explained their Excel spreadsheets on the Slave Population & Total Population of Texas from 1819-1860
• Did some "housekeeping" with previous assignments and blog posts
• Finished writing their Essay Question answers on the Chapter 14 Quiz

Assignments for Thursday
1. Do the final reading (pp. 144-158) in To Be a Slave and complete your Pictorial Presentation on TBaS
2. Do your Lone Star One-Pager

• Include page number & topic in the blog post title
• At the top of the post insert a picture illustrating the topic.
• Write a one-sentence introduction telling the topic & time period discussed on the page.
• Example: On page 305 Fehrenbach discusses the importance of the planter class in Texas prior to the Civil War.
• Write five (5) bullet-pointed complete sentences on key points you learned from the page.

Ch. 14 Quiz - Review of Maps on Immigration & Transportation - Excel SS on Slavery in Texas 1819-1860

Students:

• Celebrated a student's animation of his spreadsheet on Slave Pop. & Total Pop., 1819-1860
• Requested and received further discussion of the maps in the Ch. 14 Summary
• Took the Quiz over Ch. 14: The Young State

Assignments for Wednesday

1. Read pp. 130-143 on Emancipation in To Be a Slave & add to your Pictorial Presentation.
2. Finish Excel Spreadsheet & Chart & write the 7 sentences called for in the Instructions (5 on slave population 1819-1860 & 2 relating slave population to total population). Write more for Extra Credit.