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.
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.
