Civil War

Today's Agenda:

• Reminders for NECAP
• Civil War Research in the library
• Mrs. Hopkins created a library guide for our class.

The Case Against High School Sports

I was perusing the Atlantic this evening and came upon this article, which has some really interesting statistics and some food for thought.  Article

The Civil War

Todays Agenda:

• Discuss the Civil War project/organize groups/answer questions
• Lecture/Discussion: North vs. South. The Tale of the Tape
• Finish reading Pageant chapter 20 for Monday

Here is an article from the Atlantic on this year's SAT scores. This is an optional read for fun!

Research Help

As I was on Stumbleupon a few weeks ago, I found this website. In class I remembered it, and decided that I should post it for all of you so your report is easier! You can thank me tomorrow ;)

Inspiration from the Romantics - Moving Forward

Today's Agenda:

• Thoreau's Romantic Quotes
• Pageant and the Civil War
• Intro/start thinking about the Civil War project
• Check out this article from Slate on President Lincoln and the "geography" of slavery

HW:  Complete your reading of Pageant chapter 20

Pre-Civil War Assessment

Today's Agenda:

• Pre-Civil War assessment

Does the essay need to be a five paragraph essay? thanks :)

Essay

Is the essay only about change in the 1850s, or can it be in the mid 1800s? I know there are some key events that happened in the 1840s and 1860s, so I'm not sure if we're able to include those.

Thanks!

Romanticism - The lighter side

Today's Agenda:

• Hudson River School Paintings
• Thoreau
• Whitman
• Quote/Poster
• Review for test

For those of you dying to know the competencies for this class, we thought we would post them for you!

HW:  Study for test tomorrow. There is a new blog entry from Jolicoeur on poverty (class). You have until Friday to comment.

On your test tomorrow, you will have an essay, which is based on an SAT question.  In order to prepare for the essay, you may bring in an outline.  This outline should be have phrases, not complete sentences and be just that...an outline!

The question:

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the question below.  

To change is to risk something, making us feel insecure.  Not to change is a bigger risk, though we seldom feel that way.  There is no choice but to change.  People, however, cannot be motivated to change from the outside.  All of our motivation comes from within.  
-Adapted from Ward Sybouts, Planning in School Administration: A Handbook

What motivated change in America during the 1850s?  Use historical and literary references to illustrate your ideas.  

Romanticism/Minister's Black Veil

Today's Agenda:

Romanticism
Minister's Black Veil

Homework:

Finish the Litbrick reading for tomorrow (You received this on friday)
Start organizing yourselves for the Unit Exam on Wednesday of this week.
 Finish the Whitman poems.

Romanticism, John Brown

Today's Agenda:

• John Brown: Terrorist or Martyr?  discussion
• Overview of Romanticism
• "Minister's Black Veil"

HW: Lit Brick Reading, Whitman poems, Thoreau Reading

For more on John Brown, here is a link to Yale Professor Blight's lecture on the abolitionist. 

Morality and Satire on the Mississippi....Rise of Lincoln

Today's Agenda:

• Finish "Life on the Mississippi" posters
• Chapter 19 - Rise of Lincoln discussion, lecture

HW:  

• Please complete the SCC rubric by Monday.  We will be using these for your progress report
• "MBV" and Romanticism packet are due Friday
• John Brown (1859) Question to consider: Murderer or Martyr?

          

Morality, Satire, and Geography on the Mississippi

Today's Agenda:

• Discuss the following posters:
• ch 1-4
• ch 5-7
• ch 11-13
• ch 17-18
• Note we are skipping 8-11; 14-16 to accommodate student schedules
• Reviews of HF
• Chapter 19 - Pageant discussion/lecture "The Rise of Lincoln"

HW:  "The Minister's Black Veil"  due Friday and Romanticism packet

Life on the Mississippi

Today's Agenda:

• Discuss blog post from Friday 
• Discuss summer reading
• Work time on posters for "Life of the Mississippi" project

HW:  Huck Finn reviews and Twain's rebuttal (1 page handout)

It worked!

Life on the Mississippi

Today's Agenda:

• Discussion:   What constitutes a good visual?
• Life on the Mississippi questions sheet - small groups
• Life on the Mississippi project

HW:  Comment on the blog post by Mr. Jolicoeur

Satire and Parody

Today's Agenda:

• Intro Huck Finn and Satire Powerpoint
• contemporary examples
• key Twain quotes
• Taking Aim worksheet 
• Finish the Pageant conversation/Make a decision
• Review Dred Scott Decision

HW:  Chapter 19 Pageant

19th Century America

Today's Agenda:

• Remembering September 11th
• Review Chapter 18 "Renewing the Sectional Struggle, 1848-1854"
• Class Discussion: How do we want to "tackle" the Pageant textbook?
• The Dred Scott Decision-check out this link
• Homework: Pageant Chapter 19 (not due until Friday)

Jolicoeur stands corrected. Check out this article!

Notes, Quizzes, Discussions and Analytically Thinking!

Today's Agenda:

• Discuss the lecture from Friday/Monday using Monday's worksheet
• Spirit Readings - discuss
• paragraph writing - good examples from the assignment
• expectations - analytically thinking about things
• Blog/Museum Questions
• Examples - Use Matthew Brady (???)
• American Pageant Chapter 18 Review (Time permitting)

Museum Visit

Museum Visit

Now through November 11, 2013 the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester NH has on display an exhibit titled, "Visual Dipatches from the Vietnam War."  Check out their website (it is hyperlinked) for more information. Obviously we will be examining this conflict towrds the end of this course, so we would like you to see this exhibit. You have over two months to visit this exhibit and blog about at least three of the "pieces." Admission is free on Saturdays from 10-12, and you can get free passes from the Kelley library. Use the following format to analyze the art work.

Study Skills/Notetaking skills

Today's Agenda:

• Finish lecture? 
• Lecture group work -- worksheet
• Debrief on lecture and notetaking -- What can we help you with?
• Blog Expectation
• Museum Assignment

This weekend NPR had an interesting article on the importance of sleep.  For some of you, this article may be of interest!  Check it out!

American Pageant on-line

Here is the link to the American Pageant book on the internet.

America in the 1850s

Today's Agenda:

• 1850 Map -  Review
• Quiz on Spirit excerpts
• Lecture:  The Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Controversy
• Skill Building=Note taking

HW:  Pageant chapter 18  -  Please finish the lecture listed above.  We had 12 minutes left in the lecture!  Be sure to continue your notes

What did the United States look like in 1850?

Today's Agenda:

• Geography Matters - questions/discussion
• Discuss HW assignment
• How to read Spirit
• Sectional crisis in America 1850 - lecture/discussion
• 1850 - What did America look like geographically?  Map Activity

HW:

• Spirit Reading - p 413- 416
• Pageant Chapter 18 due Monday

Establishing a Culture

Today's Agenda:

• Small Group Activity on Lit Brick Reading
• Music PP
• Concepts from AS I review/Map of America in 1850

HW: Read Foster's "Geography Matters"

Huck Finn Books

Hi Guys!

You do not need your Huck Finn books for tomorrow, Wednesday, September 3, 2013.  We will be using Huck Finn next week. 

Culture of America

Today's Agenda:

• Essays -- feedback, exemplars/items for improvement
• Lit Brick reading: 
• How did it go?
• Careful reading strategies
• Taking it apart
• Review the Crevecoeur Essays
• Examples of effective thesis statements
• Examples of ineffective thesis statements
• Small groups: discuss Lit Brick reading
• Music PP and discussion