Eighth Grade Homework on European Advances into North America

Eighth Graders are studying how and why Europeans contacted and settled North America. Today in class, we looked at this page which lists various contacts from European explorers and settlements in North America.

Students need to create lists that cover 1492 to 1699. Using the information at the webpage above, sort the explorers or settlements into columns under which country they were sailing for (you'll have one column for Spain, one for England, one for France, etc.) Include where they explored or settled.

We started this in class; it is due tomorrow. It needs to be written or taped into your history notebook on the right-hand side.

Here's an example of the assignment in progress.

Columbian Exchange Assignment for Eighth Graders

Your assignment for today—due tomorrow:

On the right-hand side of your history notebook, write a definition of The Columbian Exchange. It is fine by me if you use one from a dictionary or encyclopedia if and only if you understand the definition.

Then you need to create a list or chart of items (crops, foods, animals, ideas, etc.) that were part of the Columbian Exchange. You need at least ten that went from the Old World to the New, and ten that went from the New World to the Old. I always appreciate those who find entries that other classmates do not find.

Accuracy counts.

Sixth Grade Calendar Assignment

Create Your Own Calendar—Based on YOUR LIFE!

Just as Kings, Emperors, Pharaohs, and religious rulers of the past changed the calendar to differently organize time, so you will create a calendar to do the same thing.

Remember why calendars were created: to mark the reigns of rulers, to keep track of plant and harvest cycles, to keep track of sacred/religious observances, and to keep track of weather and astronomical happenings.

Your calendar should equal 365 days (not every calendar has had 365 days, but it makes for a more consistent calendar), but it can have a different number of months or weeks. You need to rename the days and months (and—optionally—the seasons.) You also need to add in ten special days based on you or your life or your family. You also need to add in another ten special days which can be based on events in the larger world or other sources.

Please also illustrate your calendar with at least ten images. These can be hand-drawn, or cut-out from magazines and glued on.

You must have a version on paper to turn in to me on Friday (the day of Frigg), September 27th, 2013.

Happy Friday, Sixth Graders

I'm grading the assignments you have turned in (the mini-bio) and am really looking forward to moving on to some more fun assignments and projects.

Relax. Take a deep breath. You're doing great!

I should have updated grades for you by early next week.

Happy Friday, Eighth Graders!

I'm grading the assignments you have turned in (the mini-bio and the written portion of the current events assignment) and am really looking forward to your current events spoken presentations.

Relax. Take a deep breath. You'll do great!

I should have updated grades for you by early next week.

Homework This Weekend? WHAT!?! NO? Oh, Phew!

Today, in class, we discussed and even began two assignments that are not due until next week.

So are students supposed to work on these over this weekend?

NO.

Relax this weekend. Do family stuff. Get outside for a bit. We will have time to work in class on these assignments on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The assignments are a short mini-biography (half a page or less) of a classmate. We've worked on questions and interviews for a few days this past week. The mini-bio is due Thursday, September 19th. Both sixth graders and eighth graders are working on mini-bios.

Today we also discussed a current events presentation assignment. The written portion of that is also due Thursday, September 19th. The presentations will be on Friday the 20th. The current events presentation assignment is for the eighth graders only; sixth graders will NOT be doing this assignment.

Current Events Presentation Guide

This activity is designed to introduce and encourage students to become aware of current issues in the community, state, nation, and world. You will search for original current event articles a few times this semester and give mini-presentations. Some possible topics you may research include: political figures, elections, campaigns, political crises, major court cases, major crime investigations, civil rights issues, famine or natural disasters, developments in science and technology, business and finance, health breakthroughs or disease outbreaks. Stories centered on sports and entertainment are not acceptable for this assignment.

Your first current event presentation must be about a historian. You may search newspapers, news magazines, or news-oriented websites.

Once you find an article, you must do the following:

• Clip the article. If your research is from the internet, print out the article. Original articles only. No copies are allowed. (3 points)
• Staple the article to the back of your summary paper. (1 point)
• Please highlight or underline key elements of the article (names, places, facts, figures, etc.) (1 point)
• Include a short summary of the article. Summary must be neatly written or typed. Summary must include (5 points):
• Who and what the article is about
• Where, when, and why
• Implications for the community, state, country, or world
• Whether and how it affects you
• How it relates to any current class discussions
• Include bibliographic citation (on summary page) in the following formats (5 points):
• Newspaper article: Author's last name, first name. "Article Title." Newspaper name Date: page number.
• (example) Brubaker, Bill. "New Health Center Targets County's Uninsured Patients." Washington Post 24 May 2007: LZ01.
• Magazine article: Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages.
• (example) Poniewozik, James. "TV Makes a Too-Close Call." Time 20 Nov. 2000: 70-71.
• Website article: Author's last name, first name. "Article Title." Name of online publication. (Date posted). Date accessed. <Complete URL>.
• (example) Bernstein, Mark. "10 Tips on Writing the Living Web." A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites. (16 Aug. 2002). 4 May 2006 <http://alistapart.com/articles/writeliving>.

Your spoken presentation needs to include the information in your summary. It should only take sixty seconds or less for you to give us the summary. Practice good eye contact and volume to get the best grade.

Emailing Mr. Eddy

When you email Mr. Eddy:

• If it is an assignment, your subject line should be like this: class period (spelled out)/last name, first name/assignment name. Here is an example: Period Two/Presley, Elvis/Rock & Roll Essay
• Do your best to use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation in a good letter format
• Use an appropriate tone; don't be too casual

If you do not do the above, assignments might be counted as late. If your email has poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation—or a tone that is too casual—I might resend it to you and ask you to correct and resend it.

Welcome Back! FIRST DAY! Woo-hoo!

 

We're so excited! And we just can't hide it!

Welcome back to school! Finally! Our beautiful new campus is ready for a great year of school. And welcome also to Mr. Eddy's class.

Are you surprised to have homework today?

Students in my classes have four items to take care of:

• Finish Mr. Eddy's Student Survey. This is due Friday, September 13th.
• Acquire a composition book or notebook dedicated only to History. They need to have this by Friday, September 13th.
• Parents should read the welcome letter (found here) and let Mr. Eddy know (via email, or note with student, or in person) that they read it. Students will get extra credit for this! Please try to do so by Friday, September 13th.
• Parents need to complete the Million Words or Less assignment (found here) and get it to Mr. Eddy. Students will get extra credit for this! Please try to do so by Monday, September 23rd.