Weekly Schedule January 28th – February 1st

This is our schedule for the week ending February 1st, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Social Studies (Period 1 & 3) –

Monday: An American Nation Begins - 1789-1792 - We will examine some of the practices of government in the United States during the period 1789-1792 by focusing on the extension, restriction, and reorganization of American political democracy. We will also look at technological change and how it affected American industrialization, divisions between North and South, and relations with foreign powers. There will be a packet and a quiz.

Tuesday: America in a Changing World, 1793-1799. This program examines some of the practices of government in the United States during the period 1793-1799. The program looks at developing American industrialization, expansion of slavery, and the growth of regional divisions between the North and South. Relations with foreign powers are also examined. There will be a packet.

Wednesday: Almost Painless Guide to the U.S. Constitution. Students will learn about the ideals of American Constitutional government, the theory of the "We the People," and the concepts laid out by the Preamble. We'll also discuss how the Constitution empowers the government to fulfill its responsibilities, while at the same time limiting those powers. There will be a packet and a quiz.

Thursday: Almost Painless Guide to the Executive Branch. We will focus on the origins of the Executive branch, the executive offices, the Cabinet, the power of the Presidential veto, and executive checks and balances. Also, we will examine the requirements and functions of the Presidency along with the distribution of federal power between the branches. There will be a packet and a quiz.

2nd Year Social Studies (Period 2 & 4) –

Monday: The Dark Ages: Europe After the Fall of Rome (410-1066 A.D.) The Dark Ages, the period of European history during the time that led to the fall of Rome up to the Norman Conquest in 1066, was a time of tremendous social, political, religious, and economic transition brought about by the merging of the classical Roman culture and its new Christian religion with that of the barbarian Germanic tribes. Historical reenactments filmed on location in a reconstructed seventh-century Anglo-Saxon village in England, combined with live-action imagery from other fascinating Dark Ages sites bring this important period of history to life for students. There will be a packet.

Tuesday: Living History: Living in Medieval Europe. The Medieval Era, the age of great castles and cathedrals, was undoubtedly one of the most interesting times in history. The program, filmed at some of the finest medieval sites in Europe, takes students through real castles, and introduces the people who lived in them. Students discover how knights were trained, how ordinary people lived, and how the devotion of medieval Christians created the golden age of cathedral building. There will be a packet.

Wednesday: All About the Renaissance: Part One: Historical Background, Beginnings, and Art. This program sets the stage for the Renaissance by providing the historical background needed to understand its emergence in the early 1300s, when the glories of classical Roman and Greek culture were rediscovered. A comparison of Medieval, classical, and Renaissance approaches to art is also presented in this program. There will be a packet and a quiz.

Thursday: All About the Renaissance: Part Two: Science, Invention, Architecture, Exploration, and Religious Reform. This program focuses on the later developments of the Renaissance. This program presents the impact of the enormous changes that took place in science, invention, architecture, exploration and religious reform during this pivotal era of world history. There will be a packet and a quiz.

Health –

Friday: What is Honesty? - Helps students develop a deeper understanding of honesty by presenting open-ended scenarios close to student experience and then posing questions like: Why do people lie? Are there not-so-bad lies? What is cheating? Enables students to discuss the issues involved in truth and honesty and decide the best resolution for each dilemma. There will be a quiz

Weekly Schedule January 22nd – January 25th

This is our schedule for the week ending January 25th, 2008. It is important to remember that these schedules are not etched in stone. Our firm belief in adjusting our curriculum to meet the needs of students sometimes causes slight changes. It is important to note that ample time is given in class to complete most assignments. There are occasional projects, spanning a week or more, that will require students to work outside of class. There will be no more than one of these per month. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Social Studies (Period 1 & 3) – This week we will continue studying the Revolutionary War.

Monday: Martin Luther King Day – No School

Tuesday: Dark days have come to the revolutionary generation; we will study two examples of breaches in the traditional "treatment sanctioned by civilized warfare." One occurs when British Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton kills every one of American Colonel Buford's surrendering men instead of taking them prisoner. The other occurs when smaller bands of guerilla fighters called partisans attacked the British by sneaking up on them instead of confronting them on an open field. There will be a worksheet due Thursday.

Wednesday: Victory seems in the grasp of the Revolutionary Army as the south is regained. The war was decided in the South in 1781, where an American victory seemed unlikely just a year before. We will study the daring strategy of Nathanael Greene that turned the tide for good, and learn what happened to the major players after the final curtain fell.

Thursday: A harvest of victory brings great changes to the new nation. We will study the results and impact of the Revolutionary War. We will study how Lord Cornwallis, George Washington, and other prominent military leaders faced a “world turned upside down.”

2nd Year Social Studies (Period 2 & 4) – We will finish studying Ancient Greece and begin our study of Byzantium.

Monday: Martin Luther King Day – No School

Tuesday: The Western world is built on the wisdom and traditions of the ancient Greeks, who uncovered the fundamental principles that established the basics of modern technology. We will explore their contributions to geometry, astronomy, and physics and take a close-up look at how they applied their knowledge: Thales predicted an eclipse, Pythagoras discovered mathematical correlation between a musical instrument's string length and its tone, Archimedes developed laws of mechanics, and a group of 90 priests made well-informed educated guesses about many things.

Wednesday: Pompeii: Preserved in Time—Examines the final 24 hours for the people of this ancient Roman city before the catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius. Greece: One Out of Many (4 min.)—Traces how an assortment of city-states in the Aegean became one of the world’s most complex and influential cultures. The Rise of Rome’s Empire—Shows how Rome’s emperors swept away the old republic, created a vast empire, and came into conflict with a new religion, Christianity. Byzantium and Its Roman Ideals—Reviews the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and how its surviving Eastern empire kept alive its achievements and heritage. We will have a quiz.

Thursday: We will examine the historical era that lasted from 330 to 1453 A.D. and focus on the southern and eastern regions of the old Roman Empire. We will examine three main subjects: first is the rise and fall of the Byzantine Empire; second is the growth of the Islamic civilization; third are the Crusades, a series of conflicts involving Islam, Byzantium, and Catholic Western Europe that spanned three centuries. We will have a quiz

Health –

Friday: We will be viewing “Trust Me: Learning to Be Responsible.” Using scenarios typical of middle school experience, each followed by a series of thought-provoking discussion questions, demonstrates that behaving responsibly is an essential key to growing up.

Weekly Schedule January 14th – January 18th

This is our schedule for the week ending January 18th, 2008. It is important to remember that these schedules are not etched in stone. Our firm belief in adjusting our curriculum to meet the needs of students sometimes causes slight changes. It is important to note that ample time is given in class to complete most assignments. There are occasional projects, spanning a week or more, that will require students to work outside of class. There will be no more than one of these per month. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Social Studies (Period 1 & 3) – This week we will continue studying the Revolutionary War.

Monday: In response to the Declaration of Independence, the British sent the largest force of soldiers, sailors, and warships ever assembled to America to crush the rebellion. The British also hired Hessian soldiers from Germany to help fight the colonists. As we continue our study of the Revolution, students will understand why George Washington made “Victory or Death” his password for crossing the Delaware as the Americans are pushed to the brink. We will also be examining the way the revolution sometimes split families by examining the relationship between Benjamin Franklin and his son William.

Tuesday: Divide and conquer was the strategy of the British. We will follow General Burgoyne's relentless march to split New England, stopped short by the patriot victory at Saratoga.

Wednesday: Valley Forge, 25 miles west of Philadelphia, was the campground of 11,000 troops of George Washington's Continental Army from Dec. 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. Because of the suffering endured there by the hungry, poorly clothed, and badly housed troops, 2,500 of whom died during the harsh winter, Valley Forge came to symbolize the heroism of the American revolutionaries. Students will come to realize the price paid by our forefathers, and mothers.

Thursday: As the war dragged on, the costs to both sides in terms of casualties and economics began to mount. We will see how the Revolution affected families at home, and learn how the introduction of guerrilla warfare in the South helped the patriots stave off defeat.

2nd Year Social Studies (Period 2 & 4) – We will be studying Ancient Greece.

Monday: Using beautiful live-action photography, combined with architectural reconstructions and ancient works of art, we will take students on a virtual voyage into a long-lost world. Students visit Mycenae, site of the palace of Agamemnon; the ruins of the once great city-state of Corinth; and the great theater and center of medicine at Epidauros. Students explore the ancient temples, gymnasium, and stadium at Olympia, where the first Olympic Games were held in 776 B.C. At Delphi, they discover some of the secrets of this great religious center where, for over 1000 years, Oracles uttered prophesy that shaped the course of civilization. Finally, students visit ancient Athens, the birthplace of democracy, and discover some of the marvelous events that occurred during the "Golden Age". The end of the program examines the conquests of Alexander the Great and the Roman occupation of Greece.

Tuesday: We will be viewing Last Stand of the 300. With factual heft and epic zeal, this informative A&E program chronicles the true story of some 300 Spartan soldiers who held their ground against an onslaught of Persian adversaries -- an event that inspired director Zach Snyder's sleeper hit 300. Digital animation combines with vivid, live-action footage to produce a stirring account of a pivotal battle that would change the course of the Western world.

Wednesday: Alexander the Great’s triumphs over the Persian and Egyptian empires are some of the most spectacular campaigns of conquest and exploration in history. But what inner conflicts drove this great military leader? We will learn the story of a man who assumed power at the age of 22 and died at 33, planning his next expedition across North Africa and Europe.

Thursday: The Western world is built on the wisdom and traditions of the ancient Greeks, who uncovered the fundamental principles that established the basics of modern technology. We will explore their contributions to geometry, astronomy, and physics and take a close-up look at how they applied their knowledge: Thales predicted an eclipse, Pythagoras discovered mathematical correlation between a musical instrument's string length and its tone, Archimedes developed laws of mechanics, and a group of 90 priests made well-informed educated guesses about many things.

Health –

Friday: We will be viewing “Trust Me: Learning to Be Responsible.” Using scenarios typical of middle school experience, each followed by a series of thought-provoking discussion questions, demonstrates that behaving responsibly is an essential key to growing up.

Revolutionary War Battle Project

Go to the website:

http://www.britishbattles.com/american-revolution.htm and research the battle you have been assigned (you may use other websites, but all the required information is on this site). You will be required to write an essay that includes the following information: date, where it happened, the Generals involved, the size of the armies, the winner, total casualties, and a brief account of the battle. You will also be required to create a map of the battle on 22” x 28” poster board; your essay is to be attached to the poster. The poster must be in color (red for British, blue for American). There must be detailed descriptions of units and movements included on the poster of the involved. There must also be a small insert map that shows where the battle occurred in relation to the rest of the 13 colonies.

Battle of:

a. Bunker Hill
b. Quebec 1775
c. Long Island
d. Harlem Heights
e. White Plains
f. Fort Washington
g. Trenton
h. Princeton
i. Ticonderoga 1777
j. Bennington
k. Brandywine Creek
l. Freeman’s Farm
m. Germantown
n. Saratoga
o. Monmouth
p. Camden
q. King’s Mountain
r. Cowpens
s. Guilford Courthouse
t. Yorktown

Weekly Schedule January 7th – January 11th

This is our schedule for the week ending January 11th, 2007. It is important to remember that these schedules are not etched in stone. Our firm belief in adjusting our curriculum to meet the needs of students sometimes causes slight changes. It is important to note that ample time is given in class to complete most assignments. There are occasional projects, spanning a week or more, that will require students to work outside of class. There will be no more than one of these per month. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Social Studies (Period 1 & 3) – This week we will begin studying the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence.

Monday: We will be studying the Declaration of Independence. Our discussion will explain not only the basic principles and concepts set forth in the Declaration of Independence, but we will also explore the valiant American leaders, their ideas, and the historical events that spurred them to declare independence from England in 1776. There will be a short quiz.

Tuesday: We will continue our study of the Declaration of Independence.

Wednesday: We will begin our study of the Revolutionary War. The war for American independence began almost by accident, when a single, unidentified shot rang out at Lexington. We will examine the decade of conflict that sparked rebellion, as well as the Continental Congress’ decision to hire a physically imposing Virginia aristocrat to lead its army. Students will also be assigned a project covering one of several Revolutionary War battles.

Thursday: In response to the Declaration of Independence, the British sent the largest force of soldiers, sailors, and warships ever assembled to America to crush the rebellion. The British also hired Hessian soldiers from Germany to help fight the colonists. As we continue our study of the Revolution, students will understand why George Washington made “Victory or Death” his password for crossing the Delaware as the Americans are pushed to the brink. We will also be examining the way the revolution sometimes split families by examining the relationship between Benjamin Franklin and his son William.

2nd Year Social Studies (Period 2 & 4) – We will be studying Ancient Egypt.

Monday: We will study Ramses the Great. This man clearly was concerned with posterity: he built more monuments and fathered more children during his reign than any other pharaoh. We will view some of Ramses' legacies, including the massive figures at Abu Simbel that inspired Mount Rushmore. Then examine a key battle Ramses may have lost — the one with Moses and the God of the Israelites. Judge for yourself how well archaeological evidence supports the events described in Exodus.

Tuesday: We will look further into the correlations between the archaeological accounts and the Bible’s of the Exodus of the Israelites.

Wednesday: He had weaker PR than Tut and company, but lesser-known Sneferu gets the credit for making Egypt an international power. He and his sons built the pyramids, the region's most lasting legacy. Join him as he presides over Egypt's artistic and architectural heyday, then fast-forward to crawl through a surviving pyramid's labyrinthine burial chambers.

Thursday: We will continue our study of Sneferu.

Health –

Friday: We will be viewing “Trust Me: Learning to Be Responsible.” Using scenarios typical of middle school experience, each followed by a series of thought-provoking discussion questions, demonstrates that behaving responsibly is an essential key to growing up.