Overview of Texas History, cont'd

Click to enlarge. (This should work with all pics inserted into blog.)

Today, students:

• Raised questions about anything they didn't understand on the "CHART: Time Periods of Texas History."
• Learned of some of the abbreviations I often use:
• c. or ca. = around, approximately
• e.g. = for example
• etc. = and so forth
• i.e., = in order words
• Noted how color coding can ease & expedite the learning process
• Identified their 3 favorite time periods on the Chart and circled specific topics they would like to learn more about
• Studied the yellow section of the chart for a quiz on Monday
• Did some teacher-based review to check their learning.
• Devised and asked one another questions about the chart
• Devised mnemonic devices to help them remember the time periods and details

Assignment: Quiz Monday - CHART: Time Periods of Texas History

• Learn all of the information in the yellow section of the chart
• You don't have to recite the dates for this quiz but do be able to recognize which time period each set of dates identifies (e.g., 1519-1821 = Spanish Period; 1861-1865 = Civil War, 1865-1900 = Gilded Age. . .etc.)

Timelines - Bull Boards - Chart on Time Periods

Overview of Texas History, cont'd

• Students took their slips of events from Texas history and placed them on a timeline in the classroom. They then discussed orally several analytical questions, including why the timeline maker stopped Texas history around the year 1900.

• We went downstairs to the bulletin board, "Let's Don't Mess with Texas" and worked the simple chronological order problem based on the same timeline they'd just used in the room.

• They also looked over the bulletin board, asked a few analytical questions (including why the map of Texas and state seal were turned upside down), and wrote and taped additional captions onto pictures of their choice. A sampling:

CHART: Time Periods of Texas History

Students:

• Read together and briefly discussed the yellow portion of the chart; this section gives a brief summary of each major time period of Texas history.
• Read silently the rest of the chart, including text and pictures.
• Made one check mark beside each item they had put in their personal list two days ago and two checks beside any other items that had appeared in classmates' lists

Assignment: Students should read back over the entire chart by tomorrow, in preparation for various learning activities.

Student Lists of Texas History Events & Chronological Ordering

Student Lists of Texas History Events
Near the end of class yesterday, students wrote down as many events, developments, and people as they could remember from Texas History. Today students:

Juxtaposed their lists:

Click to enlarge.

Analyzed them in various ways:

• Compared & contrasted
• Hypothesized as to why they each included the Alamo
• Identified categories of events and people found in the various lists
• Related their lists to their areas of historical interest as indicated on Day 1 of class
• Classified each item in their list according to SMERFCAPS (social history, military history, economic history, etc.)

Chronology Challenge
They then cut their lists into strips, mixed them up and, working collaboratively, put them in chronological order. The students worked well as a team, with one or two doing online research, using books, etc., while others also did online research and put the slips in order. Students did the activity themselves, with almost no assistance from the teacher (apart from a few procedural suggestions, mostly treated as optional). Here's what they came up with.

Perhaps it shouldn't have, but the chronology kind of reminded me of this and this (kind of thing).

Time was attenuated, as this was a chapel/Eucharist day. Students continued to discuss the activity as class ended and had good ideas for developing it further.

No Assignments Due Tomorrow

"Harrison Bergeron" Finale - Review of Logic - "Chronological Order" - Student Lists of Texas History Events

Analysis of Pictures from Video Versions of "Harrison Bergeron"

• Students wrote and analyzed their responses to 3 different pictorial representations of Harrison.
• See ppt. here. & student analysis here.
• Students began writing a paragraph analyzing what they learned from "Harrison Bergeron." They are to post it on their blog, along with a picture representing what they learned.

Review of Grade 6 Logic

• Students discussed their concept of "logic," based on what they learned last year.
• As I was trying to get an understanding of this, I took notes, which can be accessed here.
• "chronological order" - Students discussed this important historical concept. Their insights are in the notes.

Overview of Texas History

Students wrote down every event, development, person, etc., they could remember from Texas history.

Assignment - Due Wednesday, 9/3

Complete the blog post analyzing what you learned from "Harrison Bergeron."

Include an appropriate picture illustrating what you learned.