Recalling Grade 6 - To Be a Slave - Debate Prep: Houston vs. Lamar - Map Analysis: Conflict with Indians & Mexico - Quizlets for Ch. 12 & 13

Today students:

• Recorded and discussed what they remembered from two books about slavery they read last year; click here to see.
• Discussed the first 13 pages of Julius Lester's To Be a Slave
• Worked in debate teams to prepare for Monday's Debate: Who was the better president of the Republic of Texas: Sam Houston or Mirabeau B. Lamar
• Briefly examined two maps on Conflicts with Indians & Mexico during the Republic period

Assignments

For Monday

1. Read pp. 13-27 in To Be a Slave & continue filling answering the questions you would ask a slave (Google Doc)
2. Be ready to debate Houston vs. Lamar

For Tuesday: Quiz over Ch. 12 & 13 Summaries: Lone Star Republic & Pioneer Life

Many thanks to Mr. 12345 for these Quizlet flashes:

Debate Prep - Science Field Trip

Today our Grade 7 scholars:

• Had a few minutes to work in debate teams to prepare for Monday's Houston vs. Lamar debate
• Attended the Mad Science performance at the Cultural Activities Center

Assignments for Friday

1. Read pp. 3-12 in To Be a Slave & write on the Google Doc answers to any of the questions you would want to ask a slave. We will discuss the reading in class on Friday.
2. Continue preparing for Monday's Houston vs. Lamar Debate by reading the Chart of Problems & Policies and writing your debate arguments and strategies. As mentioned in class today, you can also use the Chart/Timeline of the Presidents of the Republic of Texas.Work on this with your teammate.

Scope & Sequence - Began Study of Republic of Texas: Transitions - 2 Maps - Chart/Timeline - Chart of Problems & Policies - Ch. 12 & 13 Summaries - Q's for a Slave - To Be a Slave

Back in the saddle, students today:

• Were shown a Possible Scope and Sequence for the remainder of the 2014-2015 School Year
• Were given a List of Possible Learning Activities (with links) for our one-week unit on The Republic of Texas
• Examined the Continuum of Respect students filled out last Friday and over the weekend
• Examined a simple diagram showing the steps by which Texas transitioned as follows: PART OF A STATE IN MEXICO-->TEXAS REVOLUTION-->NATION (REPUBLIC OF TEXAS)
• Compared and contrasted 2 maps showing the Republic of Texas - noticed how the second map gives a more nuanced view of the Republic
• Examined a Chart/Timeline of the Presidents of the Republic of Texas
• Assigned Debate Teams for next Monday's debate over the question: Who was the better President of the Republic of Texas: Sam Houston or Mirabeau B. Lamar?
• Glanced at a Chart of Problems & Policies of Presidents Houston & Lamar during the Republic of Texas
• Read and discussed the two Chapter Summaries (12 & 13) on the Republic of Texas (Ch. 13 also deals in part with the Early Statehood Period.) - were assigned a Quiz over these summaries for Tuesday, 3/3
• Compiled lists of Questions I Would Ask a Slave 
• Received a copy and the Reading Schedule for the award-winning book, To Be a Slave 

Assignments

For Friday - To Be a Slave - See Reading Schedule above

For Monday - Debate: Houston vs. Lamar

For Tuesday - Quiz over Ch. 12 & 13 Summaries

Late Start (10 AM) - No HistLitLog Class

School Cancelled - Ice Day

Document Analysis - Making of The Alamo Movie - Continuum of Respect & Admiration

Students today:

• Analyzed two documents on the Battle of San Jacinto, one by General Sam Houston and the other by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. 
• They then summarized and discussed the main points of each document, focusing on point of view, motives in writing, and reliability of each document.
• Viewed and discussed a short feature on the making of the movie, The Alamo

• Began filling out a continuum indicating their relative respect and admiration for various historical figures as characterized in The Alamo.

Assignment for Monday:

1. Finish filling out the Continuum of Respect and Admiration. In the Table provided, explain why you felt this way about each of the characters. If you need to move the Table, feel free to do so, I started to move it below the continuum but found it covered up 12345's copied and pasted B's (soon to be other letters).
2. Have a great weekend!

Map-Based Narrative - Finished Alamo Movie - Grade 3 Greek Museum

Today our students:

• Worked on their Map-Based Narrative of the Battle of San Jacinto, due tomorrow
• Viewed the rest of the movie, The Alamo
• Attended the excellent Greek Museum of the Third Graders

Assignment for Friday
1. Finish writing your Map-Based Narrative
2. Read Ch. 11 in the textbook
3. Add information from the textbook, movie, and/or other sources on the Battle of San Jacinto in one or more of the following ways:

• Write the information out to the side or below your Map-Based Narrative.
• Add it right into your narrative in a color-coded way that clearly shows what was your original narrative and what was added from the textbook or other source(s).
• Add the information as footnotes to your narrative.

Be sure that however you do it the reader can clearly see what is your original narrative and what is additional information.

Alamo Movie, cont'd - Map-Based Narrative

Today students:

• Continued watching and pausing to discuss the 2004 movie, The Alamo. Their level of pleasure is indicated by the picture above.
• Were assigned to write a Map-Based Narrative of the Battle of San Jacinto

Assignment - Due Friday - Map-Based Narrative of the Battle of San Jacinto

• Use the information on the map to write as detailed a summary of the battle as you can.
• You should base your narrative (story) strictly on the information on the map handout.
• You will have the opportunity to add details from other versions later.

The Alamo: ¡Hola, General! & Movie

Students today

• Shared individually with the class their  ¡Hola, General! plans for the Battle of the Alamo
• Viewed, paused, and intermittently discussed the first 49 minutes of the 2004 movie, The Alamo.

Assignment: None

Silent Reading of Ch. 9/Sec. 3 & Ch. 10 on Texas Revolution - Alamo Tech, cont'd - ValDayPartay

Click to enlarge.

Students today:

• Read Ch. 9/Sec. 3 & Ch. 10 in the textbook
• Continued watching Alamo Tech video
• Had their Valentine's Day party

Assignments for Tuesday

1. Finish ¡Hola, General!
2. Finish reading Ch. 9/Sec. 3 & Ch. 10
3. Enjoy your 3-day weekend!

Texas Revolution: 1836 Quiz - Alamo Tech

Today our young Texians:

• Received a bit of last-minute info prior to the Quiz
• Took the Quiz over the 1836 Phase of the TxRev
• Began watching a History Channel video called Alamo Tech

Assignments

For Friday - Animal Farm Essay due

For Tuesday - ¡Hola, General! due (Notice that extra time is being given so you can incorporate information from the Alamo Tech dvd we're watching.)

Rodeo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                              Squealer-Napoleon oinkfest

We had a rip-roarin', cowboys-soarin' (off-the-backs-of-buckin'-brahmerbulls) time at the Bell County Rodeo, Fair & Livestock Show. (Well, I wasn't at the Fair & Livestock part , but I'm told the students enjoyed some of the sights, sounds, and smells of them.)

Assignments

For Thursday - Quiz over 1836 Phase of the Texas Revolution (Thanks to Sr. 12345 for the excellent Quizlet embedded below and the Pic ID ppt here. I would mention, though, that the Goliad Massacre was not actually a battle; it was carried out after the Battle of Coleto Creek. Also,  Santa Anna almost captured Provisional President Burnet and Texian government officials on April 15. Burnet and the others did manage to escape! Finally, the major battle of San Jacinto was fought on April 21, 1836.)

For Friday - Animal Farm Essay due

For Tuesday - Hola, General! due (Notice that extra time is being given so you can incorporate information from the Alamo Tech dvd we're going to watch.)

1835 Quiz - ¡Hola, General! Simulation

Today our students:

• Took the Quiz over the 1835 Phase of the Texas Revolution
• Began working on ¡Hola, General!, an activity in which students simulate being Mexican General Santa Anna planning strategy and tactics for attacking the Alamo in 1836.

Assignments

For Thursday - Quiz over 1836 Phase of Texas Revolution

For Friday

1. ¡Hola, General! is due.
2. Animal Farm Essay is due.

Texas Revolution: 1835 Phase - Color Coding - Animated Map - Oral Practice - Silent Reading - Brief Discussion of Historian's Opinion

Students focused on the October-December 1835 phase of the Texas Revolution:

• Finished color coding the paper copy of the 1835/1836 map, using a digital version for assistance; discussed the symbols drawn by a former student to help remember some of the battles
• Used an Animated Map of the Texas Revolution to learn the chronology of the two phases
• Did some oral practice in preparation for tomorrow's Quiz over the 1835 Phase of the TxRev
• Read textbook Ch. 9/Secs 1 & 2 on the 1835 Phase
• Discussed briefly an opinion from William C. Davis' Lone Star Rising in which the historian argues that the Texans were primarily responsible for the Texas Revolution

Assignments

For Tuesday: Quiz over 1835 Phase of the TxRev--Study 1835 section of the Timeline Chart & the 1835 TxRev Map; many thanks to Sr. 12345 for the useful flash cards & Picture I.D. assistant.

For Friday: Animal Farm Essay

Texas Revolution: Analysis of Audio Inquiry PPT - Timeline Chart of TxRev - Maps of TxRev - 1835 & 1836

Today our Seventh Graders:

• Analyzed the Audio Inquiry PowerPoint of the Texas Revolution, noticing that in 1835 the Texans won all their battles and in 1836 lost all of them except the last (San Jacinto)
• Read and analyzed a Timeline Chart of the Texas Revolution, noticing in more detail the same pattern seen in the PowerPoint
• Received revised information about upcoming quizzes over the Timeline Chart (See Assignments below.)
• Color coded  and numbered chronologically two maps on the Texas Revolution, one for 1835 & one for 1836

Assignments

For Tuesday - Quiz over 1835 portion of Timeline Chart & 1835 Map of Texas Revolution

For Thursday - Quiz over 1836 portion of Timeline Chart & 1836 Map of Texas Revolution

For Friday - Animal Farm Essay due (Note the changed date.)

Animal Farm: Diagram Analysis & Essay Brainstorm - Six Pics Inquiry Activity

Students:

• Shared their Diagram Analysis of Animal Farm--See their blogs here, here, and here to see their excellent analyses.
• Brainstormed possible topics for their Animal Farm Essay, due one week from today (Thursday, 2/12/15)--See ideas here...Remember, students, you may continue thinking up ideas...just let me and Mrs. Horner know what you decide on so we can be of assistance.
• Did an inquiry activity called Six Pics
• Six pictures came onto the screen, one at a time.
• Students wrote and shared their reactions to each picture.
• Their reactions to the first three pictures were recorded on a separate document.
• Students wrote their reactions to #s 4, 5, & 6 but we didn't have time to record them.
• So, students, click here and add what you wrote to #s 4, 5, & 6. You will need to change everything to 7-point font in order for it to fit. We might have to keep finessing this.

Assignments

1. For Friday--Six Pics--Copy and paste your reactions to pics 4, 5, 6, as described above.
2. For Thursday--Animal Farm Essay due

Chapel - Animal Farm: Vocab Quiz & Diagram Analysis

Students today:

• Attended chapel
• Took the Vocabulary Quiz over Animal Farm
• Worked collaboratively (or individually--their choice) to analyze and annotate a Diagram of Animal Farm. We brainstormed some of the things students could do to demonstrate their knowledge of the novel. Due tomorrow.
• Thanks to Jaycolt for this link showing whom the Animal Farm characters represent.
• Kudos to Wingboy for his Tagxedo of Animal Farm:

Assignments

1. For Thursday: Finish annotating the Diagram of Animal Farm
2. For Tuesday, 2/10 
• Quiz over Ch. 9, 10, 11 Summaries on the Texas Revolution
• Thanks to Mr. 12345 for kindly preparing a first set of Quizlet flash cards for your learning pleasure:

Animal Farm, Ch. VII-X - 1954 AF Movie

Today our students:

• Discussed Animal Farm
• Ch. VII-X
• Quotations from the SparkNotes summaries
• See discussion notes here.
• Related the novel to Marxism and the Russian Revolution of 1917
• Analyzed the 2 flags: Animal Farm & Soviet Union

• Viewed the first 33 minutes of a 1954 animated move of Animal Farm

Assignments for Wednesday:

1. Vocabulary Quiz - Animal Farm
2. Read the SparkNotes summary of the Russian Revolution I added on to the Chapter Analyses chart.
3. Watch the rest of the animated movie of Animal Farm. 
• Use VideoNot.es while you're watching to do the following:
• Relate the movie to the novel (similarities & differences).
• Relate the movie and the novel to the Russian Revolution.
• Post your VideoNot.es at your blog.
• Be sure you give a good title to your VideoNot.es.

Audio Inquiry Mystery, cont'd - Anthem Analysis - Student-Taught Lesson on Audio Inquiry Mystery

Today students:

• Reviewed their Audio Inquiry Mystery analyses & hypotheses
• Listened again to see if they missed anything
• Vied to win the lottery to be chosen to turn the Mystery PowerPoint into a brief lesson
• Analyzed the two anthems in Animal Farm
• Were taught the Mystery PowerPoint lesson by the lucky student

Assignments

For Tuesday

1. Read Ch. IX & X in Animal Farm-formulate discussion questions
2. Read the Spark Notes Chapter Analyses for Animal Farm - Mentally relate what you are reading to the Chart you were supposed to read over the weekend.

For Wednesday - Vocabulary Quiz - Animal Farm- Many thanks to 12345, for making the Quizlet flash cards

Animal Farm Discussion, Ch. V & VI - Audio Inquiry Mystery???????

I patched together the above Timeline of the Russian Revolution from an excellent video you can view below or by clicking here. This provides some of the historical background some of you were saying you'd like to have.

On this day, students:

• Received documents relating characters and events in Animal Farm to real-life persons involved in the Russian Revolution- Click here and here to view them.
• Received a list of Vocabulary words for AF
• Discussed Ch. V & VI of AF
• Got the Mimeo device up and running and almost got the Mimeo tablet up and running
• Took notes during an Audio Inquiry about a Mystery Event--View students analyses and hypotheses here.

Assignments - Due Monday:

1. Read the documents linked to above relating AF characters to RR persons.
2. Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. VII & VIII of AF.
3. Be learning the Vocabulary words for a Quiz next week.

Animal Farm, Ch. III & IV - Debate on Causes of Texas Revolution

Today we:

• Discussed Ch. III & IV of Animal Farm - Click here to see discussion notes.
• Debated the question: "Did the Texans have the right and good excuses to revolt against Mexico?" Students debated superbly! 
• Here's the goofy doc we used to demonstrate Google Docs.

Assignment for Friday: Read Ch. V & VI in Animal Farm.

Chapel - Animal Farm Anthem & Discussion of Ch. I & II

Today our students:

• Attended chapel
• Practiced singing "Beasts of England," first to the tune of "Clementine" and then to "La Cucaracha
• Viewed a video presentation of "Beasts of England" found by a student

• Discussed Ch. I & II of George Orwell's novel, Animal Farm - Click here to see notes during discussion.
• Attended the Grade 4 presentation on Beowulf
• Did not have time to begin the debate over the Causes of the Texas Revolution and will therefore begin it on Thursday

Assignments for Thursday

1. Read and come prepared to discuss Ch. III & IV of Animal Farm.
2. Be prepared to debate the causes of the Texas Revolution.

Good background info on Russian Revolution & Animal Farm:

• Timeline Video on Russian Revolution
• Prezi on RussRev & Animal Farm
• Characters: AF & Real-life
• Top 10 Notes: Animal Farm - SPOILER ALERT - You might want to watch this one after we've finish reading the novel. (But then again, maybe you just can't wait.)

Pre-Farm Discussion - Began Animal Farm - Team Planning for TxRev Debate

Today our 7th graders:

• Hypothesized as to why the people of a country might revolt against their government (See collaborative document here.)
• Began reading George Orwell's allegorical novel, Animal Farm
• Paused from time-to-time in the reading to examine some of the events and people allegorized in the article, for example the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, Karl Marx, etc.
• Watched a 5-minute video on Orwell
• Got together with their teammate to plan strategies for tomorrow's debate on the Causes of the Texas Revolution

Assignments for Wednesday:

1. Finish reading Chapters I & II in Animal Farm
2. Come prepared to debate whether the Texans had the right and good excuses to revolt against Mexico.

Quiz Feedback - Video on Empresarios/Causes of TxRev - Debate Prep

Students today:

• Got back their graded quizzes on the Ch. 8 Summary: Growing Tensions Lead to the Texas Revolution
• Watched, analyzed, and evaluated Gone to Texas, an online video on Mexican Texas: the empresarios & the causes of the Texas Revolution
• Read and highlighted a 2-page outline on Causes of the Texas Revolution--They highlighted/color coded pro-Mexican and pro-Texan information to be used in Wednesday's Debate: Did the Texans have the right and good excuses to revolt against Mexico?

Assignment for Tuesday:

1. Finish reading and color coding Causes of the Texas Revolution (see link above).
2. Students, I will be using this document about and by Mier y Terán  during the debate. I am making it available for use by all participants in the debate. You will notice that the first part provides secondary source background information, followed by primary source information by Mier y Terán.

Gen. Manuel Mier y Terán

Dads Rock - Ch. 8 Quiz - Silent Reading of Ch. 8

Still under construction, but perhaps useful. You can download it here. Zoom & scroll as needed.

Yes, it can now be revealed: all the rocking we did this week was for our students' fathers, who, after they got to eat their Doughnuts for Dads, received their limestone-mediated paperweights labelled "Dad Rocks." And don't worry, Moms, your day is on the way!

Students then did a bit of last-minute review for the Ch. 8 Quiz, focusing especially on the study aide 12345 made for his classmates.

Students then took the Quiz and after that, began reading Ch. 8 in the textbook: Growing Tensions Leading to the Texas Revolution. They were also asked to take notes pointing toward next week's debate: "Did the Texans have the right and good excuses to revolt against Mexico?"

Assignments for Monday

1. Finish reading Ch. 8 and taking your Debate Notes. You can take the notes in any way that you feel best prepares you. One way might be to make a simple T-chart answering the debate question in one column saying "Yes" and another column saying "No." Be sure to write the debate question.
2. Write 2-3 paragraphs summarizing our trip to San Antonio last week. Illustrate it if you can and post your writing and pictures at your blog. (I've been meaning for us to do this this past week but could never quite squeeze it in.)
3. Have a great weekend!

Ch. 8 Quiz Prep - Debate Prep on Texas Revolution

Students today:

• Rocked a little more
• Prepared for tomorrow's Ch. 8 Quiz by reading together, discussing, and annotating the Ch. 8 Summary: Growing Tensions Lead to Texas Revolution
• Analyzed the Ch. 8 Summary looking toward next week's debate over this question: "Did the Texans and Tejanos have the right and good excuses to revolt against the government of Mexico?"

Assignment for Friday: Quiz over Ch. 8 Summary

Rocking - Discussion of Early Anglo Hostility Toward Mexicans - Ch. 8 Summary

Today students:

• Rocked
• Discussed the article "Early Anglo Settlers View Mexicans with Hostility"
• Received the Chapter 8 Summary: Growing Tensions Lead to Texas Revolution & were given notice of a Quiz over it on Friday, 1/23/15.

Assignment - For Friday: Quiz over Chapter 8 Summary

Rock Hunting - Timeline of Mexican Texas - Prejudice: In General & During the Mexican Period

Students today:

• Went on a secret hunting and gathering mission involving rocks
• Read and color coded the timeline of Mexican Texas, first coming up with categories for color coding (blue for U.S.A. terms, green for Mexican, red for battles, etc.)
• Prepared to read a scholarly article on Anglo Americans colonists' hostility against Mexicans by discussing various aspects of PREJUDICE - Click here to see notes taken during the discussion.
• Began reading the scholarly article; a list of difficult vocabulary words was added to assist with the reading.

Assignment - Due Wednesday: Read and come prepared to discuss the article on Anglo Americans'hostility toward Mexicans during the 1820s & 1830s.

Quick Review - Ch. 7 Quiz - Silent Reading

Fresh back from our field trip to San Antonio, our weary but game students:

• Reviewed two maps for the upcoming Ch. 7 Quiz
• Took the Quiz
• Filled in details about the Age of Empresarios by reading Ch. 7

Assignments for Monday

1. Finish reading Ch. 7.
2. Enjoy your three-day weekend!

San Antonio Field Trip Discussion - Discussion of Graphs of Population Growth 1821-1845 - Timeline of Mexican Period

Students continued their study of the Mexican Period by doing the following:

• Discussed some of their preferences for tomorrow's field trip to San Antonio
• Shared their analyses of the graph showing Population Growth in Texas, 1821-1845
• Read and annotated a Timeline of the Mexican Period, 1821-1936

Assignments
For Thursday--Read and examine as much of the following as you can in preparation for the field trip to San Antonio:

Brochures of Missions
Mission San Jose Website
The Alamo Website
The Spanish Governor's Palace Website
Short Movies on the Spanish Missions in Texas
Institute of Texan Cultures
San Antonio Museum of Art

For Friday--Quiz over Chapter 7 Summary: Age of Empresarios