Eighth Grade Work on the Declaration of Independence

Due tomorrow!

In class, we read this page on the Declaration of Independence and Thomas Jefferson. Then, we returned to this pdf (that we downloaded earlier) and finished pages one through three in class, working individually and in table groups. Those who had time continued on to pages twelve through fifteen.

Please drop it in your assignment folder when you have completed it.

Eight Grade Quiz/Test

As discussed in class last week, tomorrow, October 29th will be the quiz/test.

The quiz/test covers the period from 1763 to 1783. You are allowed to use one side of one piece of paper with notes on your test.

Here are the topics you need to know:

• the Proclamation of 1763 (what did it say? why was it issued? what was the colonial response?)
• what products did Great Britain tax? how did the colonists respond to the taxes? why did they respond this way? how did the colonial response escalate?
• what happened in Boston in March of 1770?
• what was the Boston Tea Party? how did Great Britain react? how did the other colonies respond to Great Britain's reaction?
• what was the First Continental Congress? what decision did they make?
• where was the first battle of the Revolution? when? 
• what was the Second Continental Congress? what decisions did they make?
• who was Thomas Paine? why is Common Sense important?
• who is largely responsible for writing the Declaration of Independence?
• compare the fighting styles of the Americans and the British
• what is important about the Battle of Saratoga? when was it? 
• what is considered the last major battle? when was it? when did the war officially end? with what document?

Progress Report and Grade Update

Students and Parents,

I am busily updating grades for the first progress report. You will receive the progress report later this week.

Sixth Graders! Write Your Name in Egyptian Hieroglyphics!

Go to this page here. There are other pages on the web that supposedly show you how to do so, but they are not as accurate as this one.

Enjoy!

Eighth Grade Questions on Steps to Revolution

After reading to page 141, you should be able to answer these questions. Do so in your notebook and I will check them tomorrow.

1. How did the colonists respond to the various tax acts? Were they successful?

2. What does "no taxation without representation" mean? Why was this an issue for the colonists?

3. What was the First Continental Congress? Who was there? Why did they meet? What did they recommend to the colonies? Did their decisions increase or relieve tensions with the King? How/why?

If there is time remaining in class, and Mrs. Loftus allows you to (based on your behavior), you can play Mission One: For Crown or Colony? from Mission US.

Sixth Grade Websites on Egypt

Sixth Graders!

Time to begin our journey to an amazing place... Egypt!

I expect as you read these sites, you will discover many interesting facts. Write them down in your notebook on the left-hand side!

Enjoy your journey! First, go to page 157 in the textbook (chapter two, remember that it is now on your computer!) and read through to page 160. Then, go to this page and learn about "the gifts of the Nile." Finally, go to this page and explore the six different maps of Egypt (and the links.) What can you learn about Egypt from those different maps?

Eighth Grade - Steps to Revolution

Last week we discussed the First Great Awakening (looking more closely at the Jonathan Edwards sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God) and how it influenced the eventual American Revolution.

Today, after finishing the current events presentations from last week (although a few absentees still need to present) we discussed the French and Indian War and how it influences the eventual American Revolution. In addition, students used these two resource pages here and here to find out what the Proclamation of 1763 is (what it said), the reasons why the British issued it, and the reaction on the part of the colonists to the Proclamation. Thorough answers should be written in student notebooks before class tomorrow.

Presentation scores, and scores on last week's quiz will be given back later this week. 

Sixth Grade Announcements and Assignments

Grades are being updated and should be complete in a day or two.

Our first vocabulary quiz was returned today. I apologize that I did not post on the blog before that happened. I will be much more timely in the future. You should notice increased posting soon.

Regarding the quiz, my policy on quizzes is to allow re-takes. I will begin allowing re-takes Wednesday after school and will also allow them on Thursday and Friday after school.

In class today, we learned about the Mehrgarh Civilization—one of the earliest civilizations we have good information on. They existed 9,000 years ago in what is now Pakistan! Students took notes on a keynote presentation. I will be posting the presentation here by tomorrow.

Student also need to remember that I will be checking their notebooks on Thursday for a grade. To get the highest grade, the right-hand pages must have accurate notes from class and the left-hand pages must have creative processing. They can have pictures, graphs, maps, charts, cut-out-and-pasted images, lists, etc. At least eighty percent should be about the topics we are studying in class.

Eighth Grade Announcements AND Assignments!

Greetings and salutations!

Grades are currently being updated. They should be complete in a day or two.

This week, students have another current events assignment. The written portion is due first thing on Thursday, and the spoken presentation portion will be due on Friday. I am not requiring it to be on a historian this time, but it may not be on sports or entertainment news. Articles must be approved by me via email.

The Current Events Presentation Guide can be found here.

We are currently discussing and learning about the original thirteen English colonies that formed the United States of America. Students read and took notes on the three regions formed by those colonies, their climate and geography, their religious and ethnic diversity, and their economies. Complete notes in  student history notebooks will be checked on Tuesday. There will be a no-notes quiz on this material later in the week.

Questions on European Influence on America

1. How would America have been different if Europe had not undergone the changes of the 1500s and 1600s?

2. How did the following thinkers influence America? (choose two) Montesquieu, Rousseau, Voltaire

3. How did the following books/documents influence America? (choose four) English Bill of Rights, Magna Carta, Spirit of Laws, The Social Contract, Two Treatises on Government, Leviathan

Due tomorrow. Drop it in your online assignment folder, using the assignment name of 'European Influence on America'