Eighth Grade Questions on 7-1

Here are the questions that you should answer after reading Chapter Seven, Section One.

- Who is Stephen Decatur and why is he a hero?

- What steps brought us to the brink of war in 1810? (include impressment, embargo, and both Britain and France in your answer)

- How did the events of the Battle of Tippecanoe make war with Britain more likely?

- Who were the War Hawks and what did they want?

We will have some time to finish this on Monday.

Today's Test on China

This Week in Seventh Grade History (November 28th - December 2nd)

Students, you did great on your poems, for the most part.

We will continue our work on Chapter Four, Section Four, The Ming Dynasty. Read the section and then read the Reading Checks, questions One, Three, Five, and Seven from the Section Review. Then read the Analyzing Primary Sources on pages 288 and 289 and answer the document-based questions One through Five.

There will be a test on Friday.

This Week in Eighth Grade History (November 28th - December 2nd)

Today we will be discussing and turning in the lists of the accomplishments of Thomas Jefferson that we created last week and this week. We will also spend some time on the questions on the Louisiana Purchase. Those questions should be answered from reading this page. Here are the questions:

1. Why did Jefferson make the Louisiana Purchase? How much was it and how much land did it cover?
2. What was surprising about Jefferson's decision to make the Louisiana Purchase?
3. Who do you think opposed the Louisiana Purchase and why?

Eighth Grade Questions on John Adams' Administration

Today in class students read a few pages from the textbook on the administration of John Adams, specifically the Quasi-War and the Alien and Sedition Acts. We also took notes in class.

Here are the questions. Thorough answers are due on Wednesday:

1. What were the effects of the Quasi-War?

2. What were the Alien and Sedition Acts? Why were they passed? How did people respond to them and why?

This Week in Seventh Grade History (November 14th - 18th)

This week we will be reading Sections Two and Three of Chapter Four. For Section Two, students must answer the Reading Checks and Section Review Questions One, Two, Four, and Five. For Section Three, students must answer the Reading Checks and Section Review Questions One through Six.

Students must also pick an eight-line poem from this page, or an eight-line excerpt from a longer poem. Students must email their eight lines (along with the title and the name of the poet) and memorize their lines by November 28th. Students can recite on the 21st for extra credit.

Today's Seventh Grade Quiz

Today's Eighth Grade Quiz

Update on Eighth Grade Campaign Poster

Your 1796 election campaign poster needs to have a picture of the candidate, some patriotic symbols (flag, eagle, Lady Liberty are the most common), and something referring to what your candidate stands for. You might also refer to the candidate's political party.

It needs to be on a separate piece of unlined paper, and in color. The poster is due Thursday.

This Week in Eighth Grade History (November 7th-11th)

We will continue our look at the first three Presidents of the United States this week.

Today we continued our assignment from the book that we started last week in class. Students need to read Sections Two and Three of Chapter Five and answer the following: Section Two Reading Checks and Section Review Two and Four; Section Three Reading Checks and Section Review One, Two, Four, and Six. Remember that the artistic portion of number six must be brought in on a separate piece of paper so that I can display them.

There will be further assignments later in the week.

This Week in Seventh Grade History (November 7th-11th)

This Monday, the Africa Tests were returned. They need to be returned to me tomorrow signed by a parent. If they are not, students will receive a zero for homework and might have to write an essay for me during zero-zeros.

We also started Chapter Four on Medieval China. In Section One, students need to define the highlighted terms of the section, answer questions one and two from the first Using Geography Skills, and questions One through Five and Seven from the Section Review. This will be due on Wednesday.

We will probably have another assignment later in the week.

Update on Eighth Grade Presentation

Yes, students, we will start hearing presentation on your Constitutional issues TOMORROW!

Remember your issue must be from october 2010 to now. You must tell us in your presentation who is involved, where, what, and when. More importantly: tell us what the Constitutional issues are, and any future implications.

I look forward to seeing them!

Seventh Grade Websites

Here is the site on the Empire of Ghana that we worked with yesterday.

Here is the site on the Anansi stories that you will be working with this week.

Seventh Grade Map of Africa Assignment

Here are the requirements for the Map of Africa assignment we have been working on last week and this week. It is due Friday.

Your map must be in color, must be neat, and ready to display. It needs to have:

• the equator
• North, South, East, and West
• five cities
• three rivers
• the Sahara Desert
• and two of the following:
• trade routes
• migrations of the Bantu
• five empires
• religious diversity of Africa today
• nations of Africa today
• or... (come up with something else and get it approved by me)

I look forward to seeing them!

Questions for Chapter Three, Section Two

• What was Shay's Rebellion, and how did it encourage some to support the Constitutional Convention?
• What were the various proposals for how states would be represented? What was the eventual compromise?
• How was slavery an issue?

You should be able to answer the questions based on your in-class reading and our discussions. I will collect these on Wednesday.

Update for Seventh Grade

Tomorrow the assignment we have been working on in class all week is due (by the end of class); as a reminder, this assignment is from Chapter Three, Section One, and consists of:

• the Reading Checks
• questions Four, Five, and Six from the Section Review
• Map questions from page 211
• Map questions from page 213

We also discussed the map assignment today in class. I will post the details on that soon. The map will not be due until next Friday.

There will NOT be a quiz tomorrow.

History Questions on Articles of Confederation

The first two questions are three and four from the Section Review, the next two were written on the board:

• Draw a diagram to summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the Confederation government.
• Imagine you are on a committee to write a new state constitution. List three freedoms you want attached to your state's constitution. Explain why you believe it is important to guarantee those rights.
• What problems -- internally and externally -- did the states face?
• How did the United States handle expansion into the West?

I am looking for detail and specificity in your answers. I will collect them on Friday.

This Week in Seventh Grade History (October 11th-15)

This week we are finishing our unit on Islam with Tuesday's test and beginning our next unit on the great trading empires of Medieval Africa.

We will likely have some bookwork, take some notes, and have a small quiz on Friday.

Remember that this Friday is a half-day for the SRA Gala. Hope to see you there!

This Week in Eighth Grade History (October 11th-15th)

This week we are looking at the attempts of the newly independent United States of America to form new governments.

We will be doing some bookwork, taking some notes, and having a quiz on Friday.

Remember that this Friday is a half-day for the SRA Gala. Hope to see you there!

Assembly on Friday

Tomorrow is our monthly Awards Assembly. Students, please wear either formal wear or -- for this assembly only -- you may wear western or cowboy attire.

See you there!

This Week in Seventh Grade History (October 3rd-7th)

This week we are finishing up our unit on Islam. This means there will be a test on Friday. We also have our keynote due this Tuesday and another assignment due on Friday. We'll also take some notes and do some review before the test on Friday.

Make sure you are using your time wisely in class and getting things done on time.

The keynote is due tomorrow. The assignment due this Friday is the Chapter Two Assessment, questions One through Eighteen. Students can do number twenty-two or twenty-six for extra credit.

This Week in Eighth Grade History (October 3rd-7th)

This week we are finishing up our unit on the American Revolution. This means there will be a test on Friday! We also have two assignments due this Friday and notes to take this week.

Make sure you are using your time wisely in class and getting things done on time.

The assignments due on Friday are the questions from the Thomas Paine excerpt (passed out in class) and the following questions from the article on James Chalmers' Plain Truth (found here -- only the first page is necessary to answer the questions)

• What was the "wrong thing" that Chalmers did in his reply to Paine?
• With which argument was Chalmers "on firm ground"?
• In what way did the colonial leader John Adams agree with the loyalist Chalmers?

Also due is the Chapter Two assessment on pages 162 and 163, numbers six through sixteen. For extra credit, students may answer number twenty-six in a three-paragraph essay.

Do You Know About The Gala?

The Santa Rosa Academy Gala is soon approaching!

Find information here.

How can you help? Come join us at the Gala! Tickets are available at the above link.

How else can you help? Donate something for our class basket! Find information here.

Class Basket for SRA Gala

Our class is putting together a basket for the Santa Rosa Academy Gala. Every class makes a themed basket which is then auctioned off at the gala to raise funds. This year our theme is the Joy of Ukulele.

What can you do to help?

I would like our basket to include a ukulele, a tuner, a ukulele case, a compact disc or two, perhaps an instructional dvd. Anything ukulele or music-related will be great! If you can donate any of the items or money towards one of those items, it would be fantastic!

Thanks in advance!

This Week in Eighth Grade History (September 26th-30th)

We are continuing to look at the War for American Independence this week, with a closer look at the Declaration of Independence and perhaps some other documents. There will be groupwork done in class (as assignments) and likely a quiz on Friday.

This Week in Seventh Grade History (September 26-30)

We will continue our look at Islam this week.

Our big project that we are working on is our Islam Keynote. Students have chosen their topics and begun gathering facts and illustrations for their presentations. I will give you an example keynote this week to help you know what I am looking for. The keynote will be due Tuesday of next week.

Students also need to read Section Three from Chapter Two and answer questions one through four and number six from the Section Review. Number four should be a full paragraph answer. There will be class time to work on this; it is due Thursday.

There will likely be a quiz this Friday. Make sure your notes are complete! Review them before the quiz!

No Ukulele Club This Week

Since we are having Parent Teacher Conferences this week, we will not be having Ukulele Club. Don't worry! We will return next week and ready to strum!

PS Soon the SRA Ukulele Club will have its own blog! Stay tuned!

This Week in Seventh Grade History (September 19th-23rd)

Students are continuing to study the history of Islam and the rise of the Islamic Empires. This week, that involves reading a section out of the textbook in class and answering some textbook questions. Students will also look at some online picture collections of various Islamic rituals and write some descriptive paragraphs.

There will probably not be a quiz this Friday as our shortened week (three half-days for Parent Teacher Conferences, remember?) does not give us time for one.

Class Calendar

Parent-Teacher Conferences This Week

Parents, you should be contacted early this week about conferences on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. This is when you will receive your student's first progress report.

Please remember that school releases at 12:00 on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Monday is International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Avast, ye middle school landlubbers and salty dogs alike!

Be ye prepared to celebrate International Talk Like A Pirate Day?

Ye only good response is...

Arrrr!

'Aye!' and 'Aye Aye!' would also be acceptable. But only if given with enough pirattitude.

Keynote Presentation Example

Remember that your presentation is due on Tuesday. We'll continue to discuss this on Monday, so bring your great questions!

You should have ten slides minimum, and in your presentation you should share with us what happened before the battle, what happened at the battle, and what the effects or consequences of the battle were.

Pancake Breakfast, Jeans Day, Pizza Friday!

What a day!

Updated Grades

I apologize for the lack of updated grades in our system. I'm experiencing some issues with the program and hope to have it resolved quickly.

Seventh Grade Notes on Islam

Make sure you have all of this in your composition book for tomorrow's quiz:


7.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Islam in the Middle Ages.

Muhammad and Islam

- In 610, an Arabic trader named Muhammad (from the city of Makkah) has a religious experience. He said the angel Gabriel visited him and told him to preach Islam.
- Islam means ‘surrendering to the will of Allah’ (Allah is the Arabic word for ‘God’)
- Allah is the one true god, other ‘gods’ are false
- Muslims are followers of Islam
- all people are equal and rich should share their goods with the poor
- poor in Makkah liked the message of Muhammad
- the wealthy and the religious elite did not like Muhammad’s message
- as Muhammad gained followers, the powerful people in the city decided he was dangerous and kicked him and his followers out of the city
- in 622, Muhammad and his followers went to city of Yathrib and marked that year as year 1 of Muslim calendar
- Yathrib was renamed Madinah, ‘the city of the prophet’
- in Madinah, Muhammad created a government based on Islam
- Muhammad built an army
- in 630, city of Makkah made Muhammad their leader also
- in 632 Muhammad died but Islam had already begun to spread throughout Arabia

Eighth Grade History Questions Due Tomorrow

Here are the three questions due tomorrow, as worked on for today's class period:

1. Boston Massacre -> _________ -> ___________ -> _____________ -> _____________ -> _____________ -> Lexington and Concord

2. For what reason was the Continental Congress called? What resulted from the Congress? (Good paragraph, please!)

3. Write a good paragraph on one of the following two questions:
a) Was the Boston Tea Party justified? Why or why not?

or

b) Should Britain have handled the crisis differently? Why? How?

Seventh Grade Icon Project

Your icons are due this Thursday. We will not have any more class time to work on them, if you are not yet finished, you must finish at home or on your own time.

You will be making a short oral presentation of your icon on Thursday. I will model it for you tomorrow with my icon.

Last Friday's 8.1 Test for Eighth Grade

1. The Proclamation of 1763 did not do what?
a. limit movement of colonials
b. leave British troops in colonies
c. force colonists to house British troops
d. attempt to keep colonials near coastal ports

2. What is quartering?
a. forced provisions of food and housing for British troops
b. taxes on imported goods, such as paper, glass, lead
c. no taxation without representation
d. a network of communication and information for colonial resistance

3. When did the Boston Massacre happen?
a. 1763
b. 1776
c. 1770
d. 1767

4. What law raised the real price of rum and molasses in the colonies?
a. Townsend Acts
b. Stamp Act
c. Sugar Act
d. Proclamation of 1753

5. How did colonists react to the Stamp Act?
a. work strike
b. boycott
c. destroying British property
d. declaring independence

6. On what principle did colonials resist new British taxes?
a. the right to tax without representation
b. ‘no taxation without representation’
c. the committees of correspondence
d. no right to move west of Appalachians

7. What plan for colonial cooperation was vetoed by the British during the French and Indian War?
a. the committees of correspondence
b. Treaty of Paris of 1763
c. Magna Carta
d. Albany Plan of Union

8. What did the French and British fight over, in the French and Indian War?
a. land claims, especially in the Ohio River area
b. access to the Pacific Ocean
c. gold and silver mines
d. what religion the colonies would be

9. What act reaffirmed the British ‘right’ to tax the colonies and to make decisions for them, ‘in all cases’?
a. Townsend Acts
b. Stamp Act
c. Declaratory Act
d. Gaspee Act

10. Great Awakening sermons aimed at what?
a. dramatic response from listeners
b. political resistance to British
c. listeners joining the Catholic church
d. colonists going back to England

11. Name a prominent preacher in the colonial Great Awakening: ______________________________
12. What colony was founded by William Penn? ________________________
13. What colony was founded by Puritans, seeking to practice their own religion?___________________
14. What document protected Catholic rights in Maryland?______________________________
15. What early colonial document had no mention of the King?______________________________
16. What was Virginia’s House of Burgesses?______________________________
17. What document protected the rights of English citizens to bear arms, to hold free elections, and to petition the King?______________________________
18. The importance of the Magna Carta was that a document could limit what? ______________________________
19. Which colonial region became the center of resistance to the British? ______________________________
20. Which colonial region was the most diverse culturally and religiously? ______________________________
21. Great Awakening sermons taught that listeners had the responsibility to do what two things?______________________________
22. How many colonials died in the Boston Massacre? ______________________________
23. What fort was built by Washington during the French and Indian War? ______________________________
24. What famous sermon was preached by Jonathan Edwards? ______________________________

25. What three lessons did George Washington take from the French and Indian War? ______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________

26. Describe the themes of the Great Awakening.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Last Friday's 7.1 Test for Seventh Grade

1. What happened in the year 726?
a. the Eastern Orthodox Church split with the Roman Catholic Church
b. Justinian became Emperor
c. Emperor Leo III banned the use of icons
d. Julius Caesar was assassinated

2. How was the Eastern Orthodox Church different than the Roman Catholic Church?
Eastern Orthodox used icons
Eastern Orthodox viewed the Emperor as a representative of Jesus on Earth
Eastern Orthodox did not view the Pope of Rome as superior to other bishops or patriarchs
all of the above

3. What happened in the year 1054?
a. the Eastern Orthodox Church split with the Roman Catholic Church
b. Justinian became Emperor
c. Emperor Leo III banned the use of icons
d. Julius Caesar was assassinated

4. Who was Tribonian?
a. scholar appointed by Justinian to reform the legal codes
b. military expert who strengthened Justinian’s army
c. last Western Roman emperor

5. Justinian and Theodora granted women the right to do what?
a. to travel without restriction
b. to own land
c. to fight in the army
d. to be priests in the church

6. Constantinople became wealthy how?
a. by discovering diamonds
b. by being a crossroads of several trade routes
c. through taxing imported products
d. because of inflation

7. Which Emperor ruled the Roman Empire at its maximum point?
a. Constantine
b. Romulus Augustulus
c. Trajan
d. Diocletian

8. Which Emperor was the first Christian Roman Emperor?
a. Constantine
b. Romulus Augustulus
c. Trajan
d. Diocletian

9. Which Roman Emperor tried to reform the government during the slow decline of the Empire?
a. Constantine
b. Romulus Augustulus
c. Trajan
d. Diocletian

10. What language was the main one spoken in the Roman Empire?
a. Latin
b. Greek
c. Romanian
d. Spanish

11. What building material was invented by Romans?
a. formica
b. concrete
c. plastic
d. glass

12. Why was Constantinople such a successful city?
a. it had safe harbors
b. it had a secure land position
c. it had a defensive wall
d. all of the above

13. Over time, the Byzantine Empire became less Roman and more ______________________________
14. Justinian appointed this person to strengthen the army ______________________________
15. Who deposed the last Western Roman Emperor and when? ______________________________ 16. Constantine moved the capital from Rome to what city? ______________________________
17. What is the long period of peace in the Empire known as? ______________________________
18. What are the special images of holy figures used in Eastern Orthodox worship called? ______________________________
19. What is a schism? ______________________________
20. What is excommunication?______________________________
21. Who wanted to reconquer the entire area of the former Roman Empire_________________________
22. Who was Alaric and what did he do? ______________________________
23. What do Eastern Orthodox Christians believe about their Emperor? ______________________________
24. Who was Justinian’s Empress? ______________________________
25. What happened in 44BC? ______________________________

26. What did Justinian accomplish when he was Emperor? ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________

Due Tomorrow! Signed Tests!

Both Seventh AND Eighth Grade Students need to get their tests signed by Mom or Dad and return it to me tomorrow. This is an assignment! Students risk detention for not returning their test tomorrow.

I will post the tests for parents to look over in a separate post.

Can Humans Fly?

Isn't this amazing? Hat tip to Mr. Loftus for sharing this with me!

Fun Video for Friday

This song from 1995 has been stuck in my head for days. I wish YouTube would let me embed the video, but alas...

It would definitely be a strange thing to ask a bonus points question on the History test about, but I've done stranger things...

Tests Tomorrow!

As previously advertised, tests are coming tomorrow for both seventh and eighth grade classes.

You will be allowed to use your composition books, so please don't leave those at home!

Students! Please Bring Your Maps Tomorrow!

I would love to post some maps on our walls for Back to School Night. Please bring your maps in to class tomorrow and I will pick some out to be posted.

Thanks! See you tomorrow!

Back to School Night!

Come see the classrooms! Come talk to teachers! Come wander the halls when it is dark outside!

It's Back to School Night this week!

Our campus is having our Back to School Night this Wednesday from 6 to 7:30. SRA West will be having theirs the next night, on Thursday.

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

This Week in Seventh Grade History (August 29th-September 2nd)

This week we will finish our look at standard 7.1, on the Fall of the Roman Empire, the enduring contributions of Rome to history, the Byzantine Empire, and the development of early Christianity as a world religion. I'm very interested to see the icon projects this week, also!

There will be a test this Friday. It will cover everything up to that point. We will be doing lots of review this week, and you will be given a study guide and much more information later in the week.

This Week in Eighth Grade History (August 29th-September 2nd)

This week we will continue with standards 8.1 and 8.2. This will have us looking at The Great Awakening, the French and Indian War, the Proclamation of 1763, and increasing strife between the Colonies and England -- all eventually leading to the American Revolution.

There will be a test on this Friday. It will cover everything we have discussed and learned in class up to that point. I will give you a study guide and tell you more about the test as we get closer to it.

Friday for Seventh Grade History

Be ready for your quiz tomorrow! yes, you can use your composition books. Make sure they are complete and up-to-date.

Friday for Eighth Grade History

Remember you have a quiz tomorrow and you have to be ready to do your presentations! Yes, you can use your composition books on your quiz. Make sure they are complete and up-to-date.

Below is an example of the kind of presentation that gets a good grade. This example is on a seventh grade topic. Sorry, you can't do this topic tomorrow.

The decline in morals and values was the most important reason for the Fall of Rome. Romans used to value ideals like honor and courage and integrity, but they began to focus on only themselves and disregarded honor and the other ideals. This contributed in a major way to Rome's Fall because if they still valued honor and courage they might have been able to face and solve the other problems they had.  Unfortunately they did not and their problems proved to be too much for them and Rome fell, never to rise again.

Ticket Opportunity

If you can come to me and tell me the names of ten U.S. Presidents, or the names of fifteen U.S. states, I will give you a ticket. More than that equals more tickets!

You get one chance to do it, so come to me prepared.

Eighth Grade Presentation on Colonial Era

Remember students!

Friday in class you will stand at the front and tell us all what you think the most important step towards either self-government or freedom of religion was. You need to pick one and only one step (we discussed nine different ones in class and in your notes.) You need to back it up with support for why you think the step you chose was the most important. You only have sixty seconds, so it won't be long. Five to seven sentences should be sufficient.

Remember also that I will be checking your volume and your eye contact. Don't worry! You'll do fine!

Eighth Grade Assignment on The Mayflower Compact

Students,

You need to look over The Mayflower Compact (as we did in class today) and re-write it in your own words. You may make any changes -- additions or subtractions -- that you want to make, but please explain the changes you make underneath the revised Compact.

You may do it by hand, or as a pages document.

The assignment is due tomorrow.

Seventh Grade Presentation on Fall of Rome

Remember students!

Tomorrow in class you will stand at the front and tell us all what you think the most important reason for the Fall of Rome was. You need to pick one and only one reason. You need to back it up with support for why you think your reason was the most important. You only have sixty seconds, so it won't be long. Four or five sentences should be sufficient.

Remember also that I will be checking your volume and your eye contact. Don't worry! You'll do fine!

Istanbul, Not Constantinople!

A fun version of a great song! It's educational!

This Week in Seventh Grade History (August 22nd-26th)

This week we will continue our look at Standard 7.1: Students analyze the causes and effects of the vast expansion and ultimate disintegration of the Roman Empire.


We'll do so by examining again some of the reasons for the Fall of the Roman Empire, as well as some of the ways that Rome influences us still. We'll continue with a look at the half of the Empire that continued on after Rome's fall: the Byzantine Empire. We'll focus on the fascinating characters of Justinian and Theodora and look at the distinctive ways in which the Byzantine Empire developed differently from the Roman Empire. We'll especially look at the different approach towards religion and politics in the Byzantine Empire.

We'll take a few different approaches to learning this week and we'll be taking lots of notes in class. We'll likely have a quiz on Friday, some questions to answer and turn in along the way, and perhaps a creative assignment also.

I'll post more details on the assignments later in the week.

This Week in Eighth Grade History (August 22nd-26th)

This week we will continue our look at Standard 8.1: Students understand the major events preceding the founding of the nation and relate their significance to the development of American constitutional democ­racy. 

We'll do so by examining some of the steps made in the colonial era towards self-government and towards freedom of religion. We'll look at the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, the 'Glorious Revolution', the Mayflower Compact, Virginia's House of Burgesses, and the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut as steps toward self-government. We'll look at the Puritans of Massachusetts, the dissenters of Rhode Island, the Quakers of Pennsylvania, and the Roman Catholics of Maryland as important steps towards freedom of religion. 

We'll look at a few primary sources along the way and we'll be taking lots of notes in class. We'll likely have a quiz on Friday, some questions to answer and turn in along the way, and also a writing assignment.

I'll post more details on the assignments later in the week.

SRA Jeans Day Tomorrow!

Woo-hoo!

Jeans Day tomorrow at our campus. Pay $2 and you can wear jeans along with a regular uniform shirt or top. Your jeans must be blue -- no other color is allowed. They can not have any holes or tears, and they must not be too tight.

The $2 goes to support extra-curricular activities.

Do you think I will be wearing jeans tomorrow? Answer in the comments below...

Please Return ID Cards!

Students,

I need you to return to me your ID cards that were distributed yesterday. I gave them out by mistake too early. Our SRA Booster Club needs to catalog and sticker your ID cards for you.

Please bring them back to my classroom as soon as you can!

Thank you!

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in Eighth Grade History

On Wednesday students received a map of Colonial America and a list of items to place on the map. Here is the list:

• Virginia
• Massachusetts 
• New Hampshire
• Connecticut
• Rhode Island
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Maryland
• Pennsylvania
• New Jersey 
• New York
• Delaware
• Georgia

You also need to color-code the colonies (either with shading or outlining) by region; the four New England colonies together, the four Middle colonies together, and the five Southern colonies together.

Also label:

• Boston
• New York City
• Philadelphia
• Mississippi River
• and three other colonial-era places of your choice (cities, ranges, bodies of water, etc)

This map is due Friday. We will have some more time on Thursday to work on it, but we will also take a few notes on Thursday in our composition books. Don't forget that we will have a quiz on Friday!

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in Seventh Grade History

On Wednesday in class, students received a blank map of the Roman Empire and a list of terms and requirements for that map. Here is the list:

• Rome
• Carthage
• Jerusalem
• Alexandria
• Byzantium (Constantinople from AD 330)
• Antioch
• Syria
• Spain
• Judaea
• Arabia
• Parthia/Persia
• Cyprus
• Greece
• Macedonia
• Black Sea
• Caspian Sea
• Persian Gulf
• Mediterranean Sea
• Adriatic Sea
• Gaul
• Germany
• Britain (this was left off of yesterday's list by mistake)
• Sicily (this was left off yesterday's list by mistake)

You also need to place a dotted line marking the borders of the empire under Trajan, and another line marking the division of the empire into East and West.

This assignment is due Friday. We'll have a quiz on Friday, don't forget!

Notes for Today's Eighth Grade Class on the Colonies

Students,


I will rarely share class notes on the blog. They will always be available in the class notebook to look at during break or lunch. I'm making an exception with these... so enjoy!


--

1585 - Roanoke Colony or The Lost Colony.


1606-7 - John Smith and the London Company found the Virginia Colony at Jamestown, the 1st of thirteen original American colonies.


1620 - The Mayflower of separatist English Puritans lands in Plymouth on November 11. Massachusetts Bay Colony (Plymouth) established, the 2nd original permanent settlement.


1623 - John Mason and John Wheelwright found the city of Hover, and the 3rd settlement in American history this time line, the New Hampshire Colony.


1626 - Peter Stuyvesant from Amsterdam settles New Amsterdam, later New York.


1634 - Cecil Calvert founds the 4th, the Maryland Colony. Founded as place for Roman Catholics to settle.


1636 - Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson found Rhode Island colony and welcome religious dissenters.


Connecticut Colony founded by Thomas Hooker and Massachusetts colonists. Number 6 of the original 13 colonies.


1638 - Delaware Colony, the 7th original colony, settled by Dutch and Swedes. Ownership also claimed by English.


1653 - Virginians settle the 8th colony; the North Carolina Colony.


1663 - King Charles II issues for settling the South Carolina Colony: the 9th of the original 13 colonies.


1664 - Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret establish the 10th original colony; the New Jersey Colony in New Netherland.


The brother of King Charles II, James the Duke of York, founds the New York Colony, the 11th original colony.


1682 - Quaker William Penn founds the Pennsylvania Colony; the 12th of original 13 colonies, looking for freedom of religion.


- 1732 James Oglethorpe founds the 13th of the original colonies: the Georgia Colony, named after King George II as protection against the expansion of Spain in the Latin Americas.

Invisible Prey, Meet Baby Owl

This Week in Eighth Grade History (August 15th-19th)

This week in eighth grade history, we'll continue with some work on primary and secondary sources and how best to analyze them. We'll also investigate Standard 8.1: Students understand the major events preceding the founding of the nation and relate their significance to the development of American constitutional democ­racy.


We'll look at the early colonial era in America. Why did colonists move there? What were the differences between the various colonies? We'll examine the Great Awakening and see what effect it had on life in the colonies. We'll examine some of the early colonial documents and how they began to put in place protection for certain rights. We'll look at the concept of rights in the Declaration of Independence, and the documents that influenced it (the colonial documents, the Magna Carta, The English Bill of Rights, etc.)

There will likely be a quiz on Friday. You will be allowed to use your composition book, but only yours.

This Week in Seventh Grade History (August 15th-19th)

This week in seventh grade history, we'll continue with some work on primary and secondary sources and how best to analyze them. We'll also investigate Standard 7.1: Students analyze the causes and effects of the vast expansion and ultimate disintegration of the Roman Empire. 


We'll look at the strengths and contributions of Rome to history, as well as the weaknesses that led it to fall. We'll work on a map of the Empire and see its growth and borders. We'll discuss the fall of the Empire and the continuance of the Eastern half as the Byzantine Empire.

There will likely be a quiz on Friday. You will be allowed to use your composition book, but only yours.

"Million Words or Less"

Yes, parents, you have homework.

Please write something for me about your student. Tell me whatever you want me to know. These will be treated confidentially and only shared with your student's other teachers if you want to discuss something of a private nature. You can also share something fun about your student, or challenges they have faced in the past -- educationally or otherwise. You have no restrictions or requirements on what you share with me about your student.

And the 'million words' part? That would be around three thousand pages. You don't have to write that much! That's where the 'or less' part enters in. You can write me a simple sentence; you can write me a page or more. It's completely up to you. I hope you enjoy telling me about your student.

Please get this to me by next Monday.

Breakfast for Dinner! And SRA Benefits!

Also known as: Make your teachers get you refills!


One of last year's most successful -- and most fun -- fundraisers was the Breakfast for Dinner Night at The Breakfast Club in Menifee. This year we will be having the fundraiser over two nights: Wednesday and Thursday this week (August 17th and 18th)

The best part is that teachers and staff from Santa Rosa Academy will be working as your waiters and waitresses! Most Middle School teachers will be working on Wednesday, if you are making plans. Please come join us. It's a fun way to spend time with good food and good friends and help the school raise some money.

More information is on the school website here.

Make Sure to Bring Your Composition Books!

Starting this Monday, it is imperative that you bring your composition books with you everyday. Days on which we don't use our composition books will be rare indeed. Your composition books will give you the information you need to do well in my class.

Please leave the first three or four pages completely blank. We will start filling those in later in the year. Also remember that I will tell you what I want written on the right-hand pages. The left-hand pages will be for you to process the information on the right-hand pages. You can write additional notes, or examples, or further information on the left-hand pages. I will occasionally check your composition books to see if you have written what I want you to on the right-hand pages. You can also use your composition books on class quizzes.

Also be sure to start bringing working dry-erase markers. We will begin using the whiteboards in class this week.

Welcome Back Assembly Tomorrow!

Students! Remember that tomorrow is our first Assembly of the school year. Please attend school dressed in your formal dress uniform and looking sharp.

We'll be on a slightly modified schedule, but you will have all your classes tomorrow.

See you then!

Welcome to Mr. Eddy's Eighth Grade History Class!

Welcome to Eighth Grade History at Santa Rosa Academy.

I hope you had a great summer and I am excited to be one of your teachers this year. I believe we will have a successful and fun year together. To do that, we need to make sure together that certain expectations are met.

Expectation One: you need to work hard in my class. The first step in working hard is to be prepared. You'll need to make sure your MacBook is charged and ready to go. We might not use it everyday, but you need to be prepared to use it on any day. You will also need a dedicated composition book just for my class and my class alone. Because we will be using the composition book alongside the MacBook, you will need a pen or pencil everyday. I suggest you have more than one. In class, we will also be using whiteboards often. To be prepared, you should always have at least one working dry erase marker. Other than those items, it is the willingness to work hard in my class that you need to bring with you everyday. That leads into the second expectation.

Expectation Two: be respectful. You likely already know that Santa Rosa Academy places an emphasis on the classic traits of good character. I find that respect is a good umbrella term to cover many, if not most, of them at the same time. I expect you to show respect for me and for your other teachers, for the school staff, for your classmates, for school material and the property of others, and for yourself. Our class will run much more smoothly if we can all keep that basic respect in mind.

Eighth Grade History focuses on history in the United States of America from approximately 1700 to the early 1900s. We'll learn about the colonial era, the French and Indian War, the War for American Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, the westward push, the Era of Good Feelings, the Monroe Doctrine, conflict and compromise in the struggle to end slavery, the Civil War, the Reconstruction Era, industrialization and changing technologies, and so much more. It will be quite a ride!

Grades will be determined with a weighted point system. Tests and quizzes will be forty percent of the overall grade. Homework will be thirty percent of the overall grade. Projects and presentations will be twenty-five percent of the overall grade, and the final five percent of the overall grade will be participation and effort. I will rarely give opportunities for extra credit; you should put in your best effort with every assignment.

Just as I have expectations of you, you can also expect some things of me. Like you, I will be working hard at my job. I will make myself available to you in class and outside of class (I will post times soon for drop-in discussion and tutoring) to help you. I will keep this blog up-to-date for you and will respond promptly to emails. I will do what I can to help you succeed.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to a great year!

Welcome to Mr. Eddy's Seventh Grade History Class!

Welcome to Seventh Grade History at Santa Rosa Academy.

I hope you had a great summer and I am excited to be one of your teachers this year. I believe we will have a successful and fun year together. To do that, we need to make sure together that certain expectations are met.

Expectation One: you need to work hard in my class. The first step in working hard is to be prepared. You'll need to make sure your MacBook is charged and ready to go. We might not use it everyday, but you need to be prepared to use it on any day. You will also need a dedicated composition book just for my class and my class alone. Because we will be using the composition book alongside the MacBook, you will need a pen or pencil everyday. I suggest you have more than one. In class, we will also be using whiteboards often. To be prepared, you should always have at least one working dry erase marker. Other than those items, it is the willingness to work hard in my class that you need to bring with you everyday. That leads into the second expectation.

Expectation Two: be respectful. You likely already know that Santa Rosa Academy places an emphasis on the classic traits of good character. I find that respect is a good umbrella term to cover many, if not most, of them at the same time. I expect you to show respect for me and for your other teachers, for the school staff, for your classmates, for school material and the property of others, and for yourself. Our class will run much more smoothly if we can all keep that basic respect in mind.

Seventh Grade History focuses on history from approximately 500AD to 1700AD. We'll learn about the Roman and Byzantine Empires, the African Empires of Mali and Ghana, the dynasties of Medieval China and Japan, Medieval Europe, the Muslim Empires, and the civilizations of pre-colonial South and Central America. We'll learn about the great world religions and philosophies of Islam, Christianity, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. We'll explore the advances and challenges of the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, the Age of Exploration, the Age of Reason, and the Enlightenment. It will be quite a ride!

Grades will be determined with a weighted point system. Tests and quizzes will be forty percent of the overall grade. Homework will be thirty percent of the overall grade. Projects and presentations will be twenty-five percent of the overall grade, and the final five percent of the overall grade will be participation and effort. I will rarely give opportunities for extra credit; you should put in your best effort with every assignment.

Just as I have expectations of you, you can also expect some things of me. Like you, I will be working hard at my job. I will make myself available to you in class and outside of class (I will post times soon for drop-in discussion and tutoring) to help you. I will keep this blog up-to-date for you and will respond promptly to emails. I will do what I can to help you succeed.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to a great year!