Welcome to a new school year!! Assignments, projects, study guides, collaboration, sharing of ideas is what you will find here, also any questions of due dates and requirements. By becoming familiar with blogging, you will have a tool that will be useful as you continue your education.
On this day in 2001, the British author J.K. Rowling’s star creation--bespectacled boy wizard Harry Potter--makes his big-screen debut in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which opens in movie theaters across the United States. Based on the mega-best-selling fantasy novel of the same name, the film, which starred Daniel Radcliffe in the title role, went on to become one of the highest-grossing movies in history.
7th grade- Students wrote their reflection papers on the Road Trip USA project that we completed at the end of last week. Also continued working on their Personalities Project in class.
6th grade- Students took quiz over Chapter 2 Section 2 in class. Also worked on 3 articles in our Time For Kids magazines in class.
8th grade- Started working on their European Explorers project in class and also
watched the soldier from Hiawatha, Iowa who received the Congressional Medal of Honor from
After 16 months of debate, the Continental Congress, sitting in its temporary capital of York, Pennsylvania, agrees to adopt the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union on this day in 1777. Not until March 1, 1781, would the last of the 13 states, Maryland, ratify the agreement. Watch Today in History
Today in social studies:
7th grade- Discussed Chapter 2 Section 2 and took a quiz, also students turned in their Personalities Projects.
6th grade- Discussed Chapter 2 Section 2 in class, will quiz Tuesday.
8th grade- Discussed Chapter 3 Section 1 in class, also watched a video about Christopher Columbus in class.
7th grade- 7-1 had a popcorn party after earning 25 Super Warrior tickets, also we finished discussing Ch 2 Section 1 and had a quiz over that section.
6th grade- Students wrote about a fictional candy product for National Candy Day in class. They had to answer the following questions: If you could invent a new type of candy, what would it be? What would be the ingredients? What would it look like? What would it taste like? What would you call your new candy? For Monday, the students need to draw a picture of the candy and the wrapper they would use for the candy.
8th grade- Students wrote about a fictional candy product for National Candy Day in class. They had to answer the following questions: If you could invent a new type of candy, what would it be? What would be the ingredients? What would it look like? What would it taste like? What would you call your new candy? The students will now make 30 second commercials for the 3 winning ideas.
On November 3, 1998, former professional wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura is elected governor of Minnesota with 37 percent of the vote. His opponents, seasoned politicians Hubert Humphrey III (son of Lyndon Johnson’s vice-president and the attorney general of Minnesota) and St. Paul mayor Norm Coleman, spent a total of $4.3 million on their campaigns. Ventura, the Reform-Party candidate, spent $250,000—money he raised by selling $22 t-shirts and accepting $50 donations from his supporters. His only political experience had been his years as mayor of Brooklyn Park, a suburb of Minneapolis, but his laid-back, straight-talking, libertarian approach to politics resonated with many Minnesotans—especially young men who had never voted before. "I voted for Jesse because he was the most honest," one young constituent told a reporter for Newsweek. "If he doesn’t know something, he says he doesn’t know."
Today in social studies:
7th grade- Students took Skills Iowa (computer based formative assessment), also did an activity with Google Earth in preparation for Road Trip USA Task #4 Thursday in class.
6th grade- Students took Skills Iowa (computer based formative assessment) and also worked on Skills Tutor in class.
8th grade- As a class we reviewed yesterday's Chapter 2 Assessment, then moved on to Skills Iowa & if they had time, their Current Events article to read & respond to.
In the greatest upset in presidential election history, Democratic incumbent Harry S. Truman defeats his Republican challenger, Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York, by just over two million popular votes. In the days preceding the vote, political analysts and polls were so behind Dewey that on election night, long before all the votes were counted, the Chicago Tribune published an early edition with the banner headline "DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN."
7th grade- Students turned in their Personalities/Historical Places Project, took a map pretest over 6 western states (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana). We also continued discussing Ch2 section 1 until time ran out in class.
6th grade- Students shared their sketches of a building in the United States that they thought was a symbol of America. When finished we started discussing Ch2 Section 1 more in depth until class ran out.
8th grade- Students took Chapter 2 Assessment online, had choice time when finished.
November 1, 1512, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, one of Italian artist Michelangelo's finest works, is exhibited to the public for the first time.
Michelangelo Buonarroti, the greatest of the Italian Renaissance artists, was born in the small village of Caprese in 1475. The son of a government administrator, he grew up in Florence, a center of the early Renaissance movement, and became an artist's apprentice at age 13. Demonstrating obvious talent, he was taken under the wing of Lorenzo de' Medici, the ruler of the Florentine republic and a great patron of the arts. After demonstrating his mastery of sculpture in such works as the Pieta (1498) and David (1504), he was called to Rome in 1508 to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel—the chief consecrated space in the Vatican.
In social studies today:
7th grade- Introduced Chapter 2 Section 1 which deals with the first peoples to come to America by way of the Bering Land Bridge which connected Siberia to present day Alaska.
6th grade- Introduced Chapter 2 Section 1 which talks about the Ancient Greeks & Romans including the rise and the fall of the Roman empire.
8th grade- Reviewed for Chapter 2 Assessment in class.
Black Tuesday hits Wall Street as investors trade 16,410,030 shares on the New York Stock Exchange in a single day. Billions of dollars were lost, wiping out thousands of investors, and stock tickers ran hours behind because the machinery could not handle the tremendous volume of trading. In the aftermath of Black Tuesday, America and the rest of the industrialized world spiraled downward into the Great Depression.
7th grade- Turned in Road Trip USA Task #3 & began work on Chapter 2 Personalities/Historical Projects.
6th grade- Edmodo review "how to" & class discussion on South Winneshiek CSD school expectations. We covered courtesy, respect others & themselves & responsibility.
8th grade- CNN Student News video podcast, discussed the rising cost of college tuition in America, especially at state schools. Also worked on the current events that is posted online for the students to view and write a 2 paragraph response.
On this day October 28, 1965, construction is completed on the Gateway Arch, a spectacular 630-foot-high parabola of stainless steel marking the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial on the waterfront of St. Louis, Missouri.
Today in social studies:
7th grade- Continued working on Road Trip USA Task #3 which is due Friday. Took our wellness walk as part of Red Ribbon Week.
6th grade- Worked on Time For Kids, read & commented on 2 stories, "Pesky Pests" dealing with Bed Bugs and "Election 2010" dealing with the upcoming election.
8th grade- Worked on Time For Kids, read & commented on 2 stories, "Pesky Pests" dealing with Bed Bugs and "Election 2010" dealing with the upcoming election. Also discussed requirements for Chapter 2 review.
At 2:35 on the afternoon of October 27, 1904, New York City Mayor George McClellan takes the controls on the inaugural run of the city's innovative new rapid transit system: the subway
Today in social studies:
7th grade- Continued working on Road Trip USA Task #3 in class which is due October 29. They also received a Personalities Project for Chapter 2 which they can start on if finished with other work.
6th grade-Had 3 readings in class over Mythology, "The Golden Touch", "Lost at Sea", and "The Weaving Contest" with writing assignments with each one.
8th grade-Students worked on Chapter 2 Review in class with partners if they chose to.
On this day in 1881, the Earp brothers face off against the Clanton-McLaury gang in a legendary shootout at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona.
After silver was discovered nearby in 1877, Tombstone quickly grew into one of the richest mining towns in the Southwest. Wyatt Earp, a former Kansas police officer working as a bank security guard, and his brothers, Morgan and Virgil, the town marshal, represented "law and order" in Tombstone, though they also had reputations as being power-hungry and ruthless. The Clantons and McLaurys were cowboys who lived on a ranch outside of town and sidelined as cattle rustlers, thieves and murderers. In October 1881, the struggle between these two groups for control of Tombstone and Cochise County ended in a blaze of gunfire at the OK Corral.
Today in social studies:
7th grade- Skills Iowa & group work on Road Trip USA Task #3 in class.
6th grade- Skills Iowa & Skills Tutor in class.
8th grade- Skills Iowa & 3rd World Farmer, which goes along with our book, The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
October 25, 1948 wrestling legend Don Gable is born in the tiny town of Waterloo, Iowa. His father was a real-estate salesman and former high-school wrestling star; his mother was a homemaker. In high school, Gable ran track, swam and played football and baseball. He didn’t devote himself to wrestling with his trademark single-minded ferocity until he was 16, when his older sister was raped and murdered in the family’s living room. After that, he told an interviewer, he became "a horse with blinders as far as wrestling was concerned" because he wanted to give his parents something positive. Also on October 25, 1881, Pablo Picasso, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century, is born in Malaga, Spain.
Today in social studies: 7th grade- We discussed the tests the students took on Friday and used the rest of the class period to work on Road Trip USA Task #3. 6th grade- Continued working on Mythology unit, reading "Chariot of the Sun God" and class discussion. And assigned "The Golden Touch" for Tuesday. 8th grade- Students watched CNN Student News and discussed the new prototype car that can go 100 miles on 1 gallon of gas. Also posted on Tween Tribune for the remainder of class.
October 22, 1962, in a televised speech of extraordinary gravity, President John F. Kennedy announces that U.S. spy planes have discovered Soviet missile bases in Cuba. These missile sites—under construction but nearing completion—housed medium-range missiles capable of striking a number of major cities in the United States, including Washington, D.C. Kennedy announced that he was ordering a naval "quarantine" of Cuba to prevent Soviet ships from transporting any more offensive weapons to the island and explained that the United States would not tolerate the existence of the missile sites currently in place. The president made it clear that America would not stop short of military action to end what he called a "clandestine, reckless, and provocative threat to world peace." Cuban Missile Crisis video
In social studies today:
7th grade- Students took Chapter 1 Assessment in class.
6th grade- Participated with Mrs. Meyer in a health check with student nurses.
8th grade- Returning from Eagle Bluff after school.
**Also, Friday October 22 was the end of the 1st quarter.
Mr. Johnson
On October 21, 1975, Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk hits a homer off the left-field pole to beat the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth game of the World Series. The Sox went on to lose the championship, of course. Still, even 30 years later, the films and photos of Fisk urgently trying to wave the ball into fair territory provide some of the game’s most enduring and exciting images. As team president Larry Lucchino pointed out, "the appeal of baseball at its best was illustrated that night."
Today in social studies:
7th grade- Whole class Jeopardy review for Chapter 1 Assessment Friday. Also assigned Road Trip USA Task #3 for Oct. 29.
6th grade- Finished creating Mythology bulletin board & created student accounts for Tween Tribune and commented on at least 2 stories in class.
8th grade is still at Eagle Bluff near Lanesboro, MN.
October 20, 1803, the U.S. Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase for $15 Million dollars that roughly doubled the size of America at that time. Also on this day in 1977, three members of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd die in a Mississippi plane crash. Today in social studies: 7th grade- Students worked together on Chapter 1 review in class in preparation for Jeopardy review Thursday. 6th grade- Students started working cooperatively on the Greek & Roman Mythology bulletin board and also shared facts about the 16 Gods & Goddesses of their choice. 8th grade is gone to Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center
October 19, 1781, hopelessly trapped at Yorktown, Virginia, British General Lord Cornwallis surrenders 8,000 British soldiers and seamen to a larger Franco-American force, effectively bringing an end to the American Revolution.
Today in Social Studies:
7th grade- Students turned in their Road Trip USA Task #2 Journal and began work on Chapter 1 Review in class.
6th grade- Started work on Chapter 2 researching Greek & Roman Mythology for class Wednesday.
8th grade- Finished discussing Ch 2 Section 4 in class & took a quiz over the material. Also talked about room assignments & expectations for Eagle Bluff Field Trip.
On October 18, 1977, in the sixth game of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees outfielder Reggie Jackson hits three home runs in a row off of three consecutive pitches from three different pitchers. Only the great Babe Ruth had ever hit three homers in a single World Series game (and he did it twice, once in 1926 and once in 1928) —but he didn’t do it on consecutive pitches or even consecutive at-bats. Jackson’s amazing home-run streak helped the Yankees win the game and the series, the team’s first since 1962.
Also on this day in 1867, the U.S. formally takes possession of Alaska after purchasing the territory from Russia for $7.2 million, or less than two cents an acre. The Alaska purchase comprised 586,412 square miles, about twice the size of Texas, and was championed by William Henry Seward, the enthusiastically expansionist secretary of state under President Andrew Johnson.
Today in Social Studies:
7th grade- Skills Iowa October Assessment & continued working on Road Trip USA Task #2 the journal for Tuesday.
6th grade- Skills Iowa October Assessment & Skills Tutor in class.
8th grade- Skills Iowa October Assessment & Researched the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center. Click here to visit Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center
Also, all of the students created student accounts on Edmodo.com, a social learning network where they can send messages, files & videos. It is similar to Facebook, but is safe & secure.
On this day in 2007, the comedian and actor Drew Carey takes over hosting duties on The Price is Right, the longest-running daytime game show in television history. Carey replaced Bob Barker, who retired at the age of 83 after hosting the show for 35 years.
Today in Mr. Johnson's classes:
7th grade- Walking trip to the Ossian Senior Hospice to visit with the residents.
6th grade- Took Chapter 1 Test in class.
8th grade- Finished Ch 2 Section 3 discussion & quiz, then started Ch 2 Section 4 in class. We had shortened class periods in order to discuss the 8th grade field trip to Eagle Bluff next week.
Harmony singing was a part of rock and roll right from the beginning, but the three- and four-part harmonies of doo-wop, derived from black gospel and blues traditions, would never have given us Simon and Garfunkel, the Beatles or the Byrds. To get those groups, you first had to have the Everly Brothers, whose ringing, close-harmony style introduced a whole new sound into the rock-and-roll vocabulary: the sound of Appalachia set to hard-driving acoustic guitars and a subtle backbeat rhythm. One of the most important and influential groups in the history of rock and roll, the Everly Brothers burst onto the music scene in 1957 with their first big hit, "Bye Bye Love," which was quickly followed with their first #1 song, "Wake Up Little Susie," which topped the Billboard pop chart on this day in 1957.
Assignments covered in classes today:
7th grade- discussed expectations of visiting the Ossian Senior Hospice tomorrow for a service trip, also reviewed Chapter 1 Section 3 in class discussion.
6th grade- in class Jeopardy! review game. Students divided into 3 groups and in order they get to pick the categories & dollar amounts. It is similar to the television version, but we tweak it to make it
work for our classroom.
8th grade- Used the class discussing the Chilean miners whose ordeal is now over for current events. We discussed whether or not the miners should be proclaimed "International Heroes" or not. Also discussed what qualities a hero should possess and if an ordinary person could be labeled a hero?
The cornerstone is laid for a presidential residence in the newly designated capital city of Washington. In 1800, President John Adams became the first president to reside in the executive mansion, which soon became known as the "White House" because its white-gray Virginia freestone contrasted strikingly with the red brick of nearby buildings. Watch "This Day In History" from the History Channel
In the Social Studies classroom today:
7th grade- Students continued working on Road Trip USA Task #2 which is due Monday October 18th.
6th grade- Students went through the Chapter 1 Review in class and Mr. Johnson will review any questions that went unanswered in class. Jeopardy class review in class Thursday.
8th grade- Researched the "Mound Builders" from Chapter 2 Section 3 for the 4 types of mounds that Native Americans built through the use of images. Also as a current events assignment, the students were to continue following the progress of the miners in Chile.
**Mr. Johnson participated in the Iowa Council of Social Studies Annual Conference in Des Moines today.
October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus makes landfall at an island he calls San Salvador, a part of today's Bahamas.
In Social Studies today the assignments are as follows:
7th grade- Discussed Ch 1 Section 3 in class and also assigned the section 3 review for Wednesday in groups.
6th grade- Assigned the Chapter 1 Review & Activities in class. The students had time to work on this the remainder of class and it's due when they come to class Wednesday.
8th grade- Discussed Chapter 2 Section 3 "The Mound Builders" in class. Also researched videos of the miners who are currently trapped underground and the way that they are going to be rescued.
October 11, 1986 President Reagan & Soviet leader Gorbachev opened two days of arms-control talks in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Assignments today on Columbus Day, which is actually October 12:
7th grade- Students had a final map test over 8 southeastern states, Road Trip USA Task #1 Itinerary
was due, and assigned Ch 1 Section 3 p. 21-25 for Tuesday.
6th grade- reviewed Ch 1 Section 3 in classs, then took a 5 question quiz over the information in class.
8th grade-Watched & discussed today's CNN Student News video podcast in class, assigned Ch 2 Section 3 p. 30-33 for discussion in class Tuesday.
October 8, 1871, The Great Chicago Fire begins, reportedly when Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicks over a lantern; the blaze destroys downtown, kills 250, and leaves 900,000 homeless.
Today in Social Studies:
7th grade- Skills Iowa & Skills Tutor
October 7, 1916, in Atlanta, Georgia Tech beats Cumberland College 222-0. Also in 2001, the United States launched Operation Enduring Freedom, the campaign to destroy terrorist training camps in Afghanistan.
In the classroom today the assignments were:
7th grade-students worked with their partners on the Road Trip USA project.
6th grade-We discussed Ch 1 Section 3 as a group, ran out of time before having a quiz.
8th grade- Finished discussing Ch 2 Section 2 and took a quiz over it.
October 6, 1979, Pope John Paul II becomes the first pontiff to visit the White House. Also on this day in Indiana, brothers John & Simeon Reno stage the first robbery of a moving train in the United States.
Assignments covered in Social Studies today:
7th grade- students took a pretest over the remaining 8 southern states, assigned Road Trip USA partner project.
6th grade- students finished discussing Ch 1 Section 2, reviewed & took a quiz over this section.
8th grade- students discussed Ch 2 Section 2 over "Agriculture in the America's" when the first settlers came to the America's after the Ice Age.
October 5, 1962, The Beatles release their first single "Love Me Do". Also on this day in 1947, President Harry Truman (1884-1972) makes the first-ever televised presidential address from the White House, asking Americans to cut back on their use of grain in order to help starving Europeans. At the time of Truman's food-conservation speech, Europe was still recovering from World War II and suffering from famine.
Assignments today in Social Studies class:
7th grade-Finished discussing pages 18-19 in Ch 1 Section2 and took a quiz over that information. Also assigned 8 Southern states for a map pre-test for Wednesday.
6th grade- Began discussing Ch 1 Section 2 pages 16-19, will conclude Wednesday with pages 20-21 and take a quiz after all questions have been answered for clarification.
8th grade- Discussed the issue of obesity in America by listing a number of fast food chains in our area & debating which ones had healthy choices for the customers.
October 4, 1927 carving begins on Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Completion of the immense project took just over 14 years and was finished on October 31, 1941.
Assignments in Social Studies today were:
7th grade- Discussed Ch 1 Section 2 pages 15-18 also discussed the topic of year around schools in Iowa.
6th grade- Discussed the topic of year around schools in Iowa and read and discussed the September 24 issue of Time For Kids, focusing on "The Hunt for Lost Frogs" dealing with disappearing & reappearing types of frogs worldwide and also the children who star in the Broadway show "Billy Elliot".
8th grade- Discussed the year around school issue, also the upcoming election for Governor in the State of Iowa between Governor Chet Culver & challenger Terry Branstad. Also watched today's CNN Student News podcast & discussed the terror alert the United States is giving to American's who are traveling abroad and also 2 female football players who are on their respective high school teams.
On October 1, 1961, New York Yankee Roger Maris becomes the first-ever major-league baseball player to hit more than 60 home runs in a single season.
Assignments in my classroom for Friday October 1st: 7th grade- Class discussion over writing assignment in class & also a planner check. 6th grade- Class discussion over writing assignment in class & also a planner check. 8th grade- Discussed Ch 2 pages 20-25, after lunch we went to the Tranquility Corn Maze so 8-2 didn't meet Friday.
The space shuttle Discovery lifts off on the first shuttle flight since the 1986 Challenger disaster.
Also on September 29, 1892 in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, the first nighttime football game was played when Mansfield Teacher College faces Wyoming Seminary beneath twenty electric lights.
Assignments today in class:
7th grade- Took a pretest over 8 southern states & capitals, also watched an episode of CNN Student News and discussed healthy food choices that the students make at home and away from home.
6th grade- Finished discussing Ch 1 Section 1 pages 14-15 in class, then took a 5 point quiz over the section in class. The students also watched an episode of CNN Student News and discussed healthy food choices that the students make at home and away from home.
8th grade- Since today was an in-service early out, I only met with one 8th grade class. We discussed Ch 2 Section 1 over how North America was first settled and what the theories are of how the migration happened.
On September 28, 1781, in what would be the last battle of the Revolutionary War, General Cornwalis, surrounded by American troops and the French Navy, surrenders to General George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia.
Assignments given today:
7th grade- We reviewed Ch 1 Section 1 in class & had a quiz. Assigned Ch 1 Section 2 to read for class on Wednesday as well as the Southern US states pre-test quiz in class.
6th grade- Discussed Ch 1 pages 8-13 in class, we need to finish 14-15 tomorrow and then we
will take a quiz over it when finished.
8th grade- Finished United States Presidentail Webquests in class, assigned Ch 2 pages 20-25 to be read for class on Wednesday.
September 27, 2010 assignments in my classes today:
7th grade- Corrected 2 "Finding the Main Idea" practice worksheets. Previewed Ch 1 pages 8-14 and assigned the South states pre-test for Wednesday.
6th grade- Corrected 2 "Finding the Main Idea" practice worksheets, an Introduction to Chapter 1 & assigned pages 8-15 to be read for class discussion for Tuesday.
8th grade- CNN Student News & discussion questions about the show. Also continued with the United States Presidents Webquest presentations.
The Judiciary Act of 1789 is passed by Congress and signed by President George Washington, establishing the Supreme Court of the United States as a tribunal made up of six justices who were to serve on the court until death or retirement.
Assignments in Mr. Johnson's room today:
7th grade- Practiced the skill of "Finding the Main Idea" on 2 worksheets and also commented on 2 stories of the students choice on Tween Tribune. www.tweentribune.com
6th grade- Practiced the skill of "Finding the Main Idea" on 2 worksheets and also read 2 articles in the "Time For Kids" magazines.
8th grade- Field Trip to Fort Atkinson Rendezvous Days. Students had to find facts about the fort itself and also take in 5 demonstrations of their choice and list 5 important details of each one.
September 23, 1806 United States Army soldiers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark return to St. Louis after a nearly 2 year expedition to the west coast.
Assignments done in class today:
7th grade- Discussed tic-tac-toe project options, watched a 60 Minutes story about American Samoa called "Football Island" and discussed it in class.
6th grade- Discussed tic-tac-toe project options, watched a 60 Minutes story about American Samoa called "Football Island" and discussed it in class.
Here is the link for the "Football Island" story from 60 Minutes: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6882037n&tag=cbsnewsMainColumnArea.4
8th grade- Discussed Fort Atkinson Rendezvous Days & what we needed to bring & expectations for the field trip Friday. Also had our Current Events game with the remainder of class time.
September 22, 1776, near present day Central Park in New York City, Nathan Hale a member of the Patriot Army was hanged for spying against the British. No American can ever forget the words he uttered before they slipped the noose around his neck.
Today in the 6th, 7th & 8th grade classes, the students worked on Skills Iowa & Skills Tutor. A computer based formative assessment that gives immediate feedback.
September 21, 1780, General Benedict Arnold betrayed his country when he gave the British information that could allow them to capture the American fort at West Point on the Hudson River in New York. Also on this date, Monday Night Football debuts on ABC (Browns defeated the Jets 31-21).
Assignments for today:
7th grade- Corrected 2 Reading for Details worksheets in class, also discussed project options for the class & also the epals connections that we have made so far.
6th grade- Corrected 2 Reading for Details worksheets in class, also discussed project options for the class.
8th grade- Viewed CNN Student News & discussed how the recession has affected us. Also corrected "How to use your textbook" worksheet in class.
September 20, 2001 In an address to a joint session of Congress, President Bush declares "war on terror." Also, Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles ends his record-breaking streak of playing 2,632 consecutive baseball games spanning sixteen seasons.
In my classroom today the assignments were as follows:
7th grade- Students had 2 worksheets to work on dealing with Reading for Comprehension due Tuesday, also Chapter 1 pages 8-14 for Tuesday.
6th grade- Students had 2 worksheets to work on dealing with Reading for Comprehension due Tuesday.
8th grade- Students had activity "How to use your textbook" in class, and 2 posts to make on Tween Tribune by the end of class. Tween Tribune is a current events site that is geared towards tweens.
Mr. Johnson
8th Graders using computers for daily bell ringers
September 17, 1776 in Independence Hall in Philadelphia the Constitutional Convention approved the final draft of the United States Constitution which is still in force today. Also on this date, The American Pro Football Association- later named the National Football League- is formed in Canton, Ohio.
Assignments for today in class:
6th, 7th & 8th graders all wrote letters to the Veterans of this area who
are going on the Honor Trip to Washington D.C. Also, the 8th grade discussed the US Constitution as it is "Constitution Day".
On September 16, 1620 the Mayflower departs Plymouth, England, for the New World.
Assignments in Mr. Johnson's room:
7th grade-Finished the Atlas Activity on pages 6-7 in the text. Filled out a survey on "Bullying in America's Schools" and discussed Equity in our school.
6th grade-Finished the Atlas Activity on pages 6-7 in the text. Corrected 2 worksheets on summarizing information in class.
8th grade-We did our current events activity during the class periods.
In 1954 Marilyn Monroe films her famous skirt scene in Hollywood.
Today in class the following assignments were given:
7th grade: 9 Northeastern states map quiz, pages 6-7, #8-#10 in the book due for class on Thursday & also practiced our fire safety drill.
6th grade: 2 summarizing worksheets which are due Thursday Sept. 16, pages 6-7, #8 & #9 & also practiced fire safety drill.
8th grade: 8-1 presented their United States Presidents Webquest presentations during class, 8-2 did not meet due to the early out due to teacher inservice.
Today in 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner" after watching the British bombard Fort Mc Henry in Baltimore during the War of 1812. More recently, September 14, 1994 the Major League Baseball season is canceled after a players' strike.
In all classes today, we did our formative assessments on Skills Iowa and also used Skills Tutor for practice on our reading comprehension.
Back it for Homecoming week 2010, assignments given in class today:
7th grade- pretest over 9 Northeastern states & their capitals and used Time for Kids handout. Read & discussed the article over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
6th grade- Corrected 2 worksheets "Great Apes" & "Buzzing Around" which worked on students comparison skills. Also did the Time for Kids handout, read & discussed the article over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
8th grade- Students began presenting their findings from their United States Presidents Webquests, we will continue until all students are finished.
Assignments given today in Mr. Johnson's class:
7th grade: Corrected the Activity Atlas that was done in groups. There will be a Northeastern states pretest on Monday in class.
6th grade: Corrected the Activity Atlas that was done in groups. Students have 2 comparison worksheets that are due Monday when they come to class.
8th grade: Did our current events activity in class. The United States Presidents Webquests are due Monday when the kids come to class. We will randomly present them to the class.
Thursday means one day closer to my favorite day- FRIDAY!!!
Assignments given today in my classroom:
7th Grade- students were randomly put into groups of 3-4 kids and worked on the Activity Atlas in the textbooks. We did the 1st question together as a class to give them an idea of what they were to be doing. This is do when this group comes to class in the morning.
6th Grade- students were randomly put into groups of 3-4 kids and worked on the Activity Atlas in the textbooks. We did the 1st question together as a class to give them an idea of what they were to be doing. Students will have 10 minutes to finish the assignment when they come to class in the morning.
8th Grade- We watched the CNN Student News podcast and had a class discussion on the question for the day, "When do you think schools should start?" (What date). Also students used our current event site Tween Tribune and commented on 3 stories of their choice by the end of the period. Reminder the US Presidents Webquest is due Monday September 13, 2010.
What a beautiful day today!
Assignments for the middle school today:
7th grade- Did our class started to class the period and then discussed what we know about the United States and what we want to learn about the US with a KWL chart.
6th grade- Did our class started to class the period and then discussed what we know about Europe & Russia and what we want to learn about these continents with a KWL chart.
8th grade- Class started to begin the period and then we had in class research for the students US Presidents Webquest which are due Monday Sept. 13.
Also, all of the students logged into their Skills Iowa sites to make sure all of the passwords work and they do.
Welcome back from the Labor Day break!
Assignments for today:
7th grade: Students took a quiz over the 12 Midwestern states & their capitals. Also assigned the Northeastern region pretest for this Friday 9/10. Also started with page 1 in the textbook.
6th grade: Students had 2 two sided worksheets that were assigned on Friday 9/3 that were due for today. We checked those as a class & started in on page 1 in the textbook.
8th grade: Watched today's edition of CNN Student News & had class discussion over the United States economy. Students also received their textbooks and had the rest of the period to work on their United States Presidents Webquest which are due Monday September 13, 2010.
TGIF!!!!!
Assignments for 7th grade today: 7-1 we took a technology assessment that took until 9:30 to complete. This assessment will give our school district the data we need to know what areas we need to focus on in the technology area. 7-2 watched an episode of CNN Student News and discussed how involved parents are in their students education.
6th grade: Ch 1 Spelling Test, and 2 worksheets with an introduction to Latitude & Longitude and how to read a map. These are due Tuesday September 7th when the kids come to class.
8th grade: Today we worked on our current events activity during class.
Today's assignments in Social Studies
7th grade: Students took a pretest over the Midwest states & their capitals. Then the kids presented their geography terms power points.
6th grade: We did a writing activity in class and also took time to make sure students knew how to save files correctly and also how to save files & documents on to the Elementary/Middle School server. There are 3 ways for them to connect.
8th grade: Current events were due today for tomorrows current events activity. Also we researched our United States Presidents Webquest for the rest of the period. It is such a luxury to know that we always have the ability to research when we need to.
September 1st already, where did the summer go to?
Assignments in the middle school for today are the following:
7th grade: Class starter, then had group work time to finish their geography terms
presentations. Will have Midwest States pretest Thursday.
6th grade: Class starter, Chapter 1 spelling pretest, beginning use of the textbook.
Final Chapter 1 Spelling test will be this Friday.
8th grade: Class starter, then time to research the United States Presidents Webquest
which are due Friday September 10, 2010.
Today's assignments:
7th graders watched a CNN Student News podcast & had class discussion over what is good about our school & what they would like to see changed or fixed. Also, they were assigned a map study of 12 Midwestern states and will take a pretest over them tomorrow.
6th graders: CNN Student News podcast & class discussion. Also students have a spelling test over 15 vocabulary words in Chapter 1 of their textbooks. We are going to start the year off right by emphasizing correct spellings in every subject.
8th graders: CNN Student News podcast & class discussion. Also went over a handout that gave the students how to read like a historian, using primary & secondary sources & discussed National History Day.
Wow today was hot!!!!
7th grade assignments for today was to take the United States geography quiz on
www.lizardpoint.com. Students should take it 2 times & keep their scores and compare to the final quiz at the end of this unit. Also given a group assignment to work on ten geography terms & put into a powerpoint for Thursday.
6th grade assignment was to take the United States geography quiz also.
8th grade assignment was to start researching the United States Presidents Webquest which is due Friday September 10th. Also Current Events for this week are due on Thursday September 2nd.
Today's assignment for the 6th & 7th grades was to work on 2 geography terms worksheets. The students will see these terms and need to be able to identify them throughout the year, it also tells me how much they already know. The 8th grade set up their accounts for Tween Tribune, which is a current events site for "tweens". They need to browse the articles and comment on 3 of them by the time class is over.
This is great for class discussions.
We finished our classmate interviews in 6th & 7th grade and introduced the Tween Tribune to the 7th graders website also. For the 8th graders we did our 1st week of Current Events to help our students pay attention to what is happening not only in their communities but also at a state, national & world level.
Today in class we corrected the fact & opinion worksheet "the pony express" & "my tarantula". Also corrected the making inferences worksheet "the visitor" & "let them eat cake". Then we started to give our presentations over the Classmate interviews that we did. Hopefully we all learned a little more about our class.
Today's assignment deals with getting to know our classmates better. In most of the classes we have the same kids, but we do have some new faces at the SWMS this year. So the Classmate Interview questions are on my Webpage that you can look at. The 8th graders also have Current Events which will be due on Thursday August 26 when they come to class.
Today's assignments for the 6, 7, & 8th graders was 2 group assignments that challenged the students to think differently. We did a word puzzle and a decoding activity. We also corrected the locating information worksheets that we did in class on Thursday.
Today's assignment for the 6th, 7th, 8th grades was a writing prompt:
What do you think would be the most challenging part of being President of the United States? They were to write 2 paragraphs (4 sentences each paragraph) about what they thought. Also they were given a worksheet "Landfill" & "Trash" on how locating information, where they need to be able to read passages and find facts.
For the 6th, 7th & 8th grades today we went through each grades syllabus for my classroom. Things that are covered are SWCSD vision & mission statements, grading scale,assignments, policies covering cheating, plagiarism and classroom expectations.
Please refer to this blog on a daily basis for clarification of assignments and possible extra credit.
Hello returning 7th & 8th graders and a warm welcome to our new 6th graders who are entering the middle school this year. I'm very excited for you as you are the first group of students to take part in the 1:1 laptop initiative at South Winneshiek. We will
be doing many different things that use technology, but we will also do plenty of projects that you may consider to be old school.
One of the main reasons for this blog is to make assignments & information more accessible to not only the students, but also the parents to see what their children are involved in. So each day I will post the class assignment for all to see and if you miss school for some reason, you will be able check out what you missed. These are exciting times at South Winneshiek, and I encourage you all to be involved in as many things as possible. I'm anxious to start and can't wait to see all of you August 18th!
