Weekly Schedule February 25th – February 29th

This is our schedule for the week ending February 29th, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Social Studies (Period 2 & 3)

Monday: Work Due: America Under Franklin Pierce
Economics: The Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Goods and Services: Producing. Students will learn the differences between goods and services and that each is divided into consumer and industrial. The "factors of production:" are defined and illustrated using real businesses. Through skits, we see how the factors of production can be combined in various ways in a market economy to result in profit or loss. Packet is due Tuesday.

Tuesday: Work Due: Producing
Economics: The Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Goods and Services: Needs and Wants. This program defines the three basic needs common to humanity: food and water, shelter, and clothing. This program examines how a market economy works to satisfy wants. Students learn that the principle of "opportunity cost" governs the use of resources to satisfy wants and needs. Packet is due Wednesday.

Wednesday: Work Due: Needs and Wants
Economics: The Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Goods and Services: Consuming. The principle of "opportunity cost" plays a major role in consuming, since we cannot have everything we want. Through skits, we are shown the major pressures which influence our choices as consumers. The program traces the growth of consumerism throughout the United States in the last part of the 20th century. Packet is due Thursday.

Thursday: Work Due: Consuming
Economics: The Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Goods and Services: Money. The evolution of money is traced through history, starting with bartering and ending with today's electronic forms of monetary exchange. Illustrated by humorous skits, the five defining properties of money are shown. The concepts of savings and checking accounts, and credit cards, are presented. Packet is due Monday.

Friday: When It’s Hard to be a Friend. Friends are important to a child's growth, but children often find it hard to cope when a friend hurts their feelings, or pressures them to do something they don't want to do, or moves away. A series of vignettes illustrating difficulties with friends, each followed by thought-provoking questions, provide students with opportunities to discuss their own experiences and feelings about friendship. There will be a quiz.

2nd Year Social Studies (Period 1 & 4)

Monday: Work Due: None
Economics: The Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Goods and Services: Producing. Students will learn the differences between goods and services and that each is divided into consumer and industrial. The "factors of production:" are defined and illustrated using real businesses. Through skits, we see how the factors of production can be combined in various ways in a market economy to result in profit or loss. Packet is due Tuesday.

Tuesday: Work Due: Producing
Economics: The Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Goods and Services: Needs and Wants. This program defines the three basic needs common to humanity: food and water, shelter, and clothing. This program examines how a market economy works to satisfy wants. Students learn that the principle of "opportunity cost" governs the use of resources to satisfy wants and needs. Packet is due Wednesday.

Wednesday: Work Due: Needs and Wants
Economics: The Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Goods and Services: Consuming. The principle of "opportunity cost" plays a major role in consuming, since we cannot have everything we want. Through skits, we are shown the major pressures which influence our choices as consumers. The program traces the growth of consumerism throughout the United States in the last part of the 20th century. Packet is due Thursday.

Thursday: Work Due: Consuming
Economics: The Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Goods and Services: Money. The evolution of money is traced through history, starting with bartering and ending with today's electronic forms of monetary exchange. Illustrated by humorous skits, the five defining properties of money are shown. The concepts of savings and checking accounts, and credit cards, are presented. Packet is due Monday.

Friday: Self-Esteem: Feeling Good About Yourself. Most of us suffer from low self-esteem in one way or another. Dramatized situations show how having confidence and feeling good about yourself help you deal with problems and enjoy life to the fullest. There will be a quiz.

Castle Update

Here are some websites about castles:

Castles on the Web
Castle Siegecraft and Defence
Castles of the World
Castle Terminology
Castle Floor Plans
How to Draw Castle Floor Plans

Your castle must be completed by February 27th for 2nd period and February 28th for 4th period. Please plan to take your castle home with you at the end of each day.

Weekly Schedule February 18th – February 22nd

This is our schedule for the week ending February 22nd, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Social Studies (Period 1 & 3)

Monday: President’s Day

Tuesday: Work Due: America Under Andrew Jackson
America Under Martin Van Buren, William H Harrison and John Tyler - 1837-1844 The Panic of 1837. We will study the following topics The Panic of 1837, The Pre-Emption Act, California Pioneers and Sutter's Fort, The Oregon Trail, and Manifest Destiny. Packet is due Wednesday.

Wednesday: Work Due: America Under Martin Van Buren
America Under James Polk, Zachary Taylor, and Millard Fillmore 1845-1852 - The Mexican War-The Oregon Treaty. We will study the Presidency of James K. Polk, 1845-1849, Texas Statehood and Problems with Mexico, 1845, The Mexican War, 1846-1848, The Oregon Treaty of 1846, The Presidency of Zachary Taylor, 1849-1850, and The Presidency of Millard Fillmore and the Compromise of 1850, 1850-1853. Packet is due Thursday.

Thursday: Work Due: America Under James Polk
America Under Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan - 1853-1860 - The Kansas Nebraska Act. We will study the Presidency of Franklin Pierce, 1853-1857, the Gadsden Purchase and the Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1853-1854, an Era of Reform and Self Improvement, James Buchanan and the Dred Scott Decision, 1857, the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, 1858, the Election of President Abraham Lincoln and the Establishment of the Confederacy, 1860-1861. Packet is due Monday.

Friday: Just Chill! Dealing with Anger- This program is designed to help students deal constructively with angry feelings. It uses scenarios and language students will recognize to demonstrate that the loss of control that anger precipitates not only fails to bring about a desired goal, but can escalate into a dangerous situation. Students have the power to control their anger and channel it into something constructive. There will be a quiz.

2nd Year Social Studies (Period 2 & 4)

Monday: President’s Day

Tuesday: Work Due: Hinduism
Religions of the World – Islam – Islam is the world's fastest growing, and perhaps most misunderstood, religion. One out of every five people on Earth is a Muslim. The social, political, and economic power of Islam is profound and is growing. For these reasons, it is important to understand what Islam means, why it is embraced by so many people, and why it is misunderstood by so many others. This program gives an overview of the religion, its foundations, and also its past and present influences on the world.
We will cover Islam's contemporary role in the world, its history, some common misconceptions about the faith, its influence on the West, the art, architecture and science of Islam, and the colonial period in the Middle East. Through the use of historic film and stills from locations around the world, a broad picture emerges of a powerful faith. Islam is a faith that, although the world's youngest, has attracted more than one billion followers. Packet is due Wednesday.

Wednesday: Work Due: Islam
Religions of the World - Judaism – Driven from their ancestral land, disbursed throughout the world, persecuted for their faith, killed by the millions in the Holocaust, the Jews have, in the face of all adversity, maintained their traditions, their community, and their faith in God. The religion of Judaism is indeed the story of a people. The word “Jew” is derived from Judah, one of Jacob’s sons, and the tribe of Judah—located in the south of ancient Palestine. It is from that tribe that most Jews are believed to be descended.
This video, shot on location in Israel, Egypt, and the U.S., traces the history, the development, and the practice of Judaism from its earliest beginnings to the present day. The goal of this program is to give an overview of the Jewish religion. Packet is due Thursday.

Thursday: Work Due: Judaism
Religions of the World - A Comparison of Religious Thought – The world's five major religions - Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam - have many differences. Many people, perhaps most people, are aware of the differences but would be surprised to find that there are also many similarities. In this program we have an opportunity to listen to a wide variety of practitioners from the five religions. Ranging from laypeople to clergy to monks and nuns, these people provide unique insights into the practice, history, philosophy, and teachings of the religions. It is not the intention of the program to provide a cut-and-dried comparison of the religions and religious thought, but rather it is left to the viewer to form his or her own opinions and to take from the various points of view what is for his or her most appealing approach to religious practice. Packet is due Monday.

Friday: Just Chill! Dealing with Anger- This program is designed to help students deal constructively with angry feelings. It uses scenarios and language students will recognize to demonstrate that the loss of control that anger precipitates not only fails to bring about a desired goal, but can escalate into a dangerous situation. Students have the power to control their anger and channel it into something constructive. There will be a quiz.

Weekly Schedule February 11th – February 15th

This is our schedule for the week ending February 15th, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Social Studies (Period 1 & 3)

Monday: America Under Thomas Jefferson - 1800-1808 - The Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition – We will study the election of 1800 and the transition from Federalist to Democratic-Republican control of the presidency, Thomas Jefferson's goals as President, John Adams's appointment of the "Midnight Judges," the Barbary Wars (1801-1815) to protect American ships from pirates, the Supreme Court's ruling in the case of Marbury vs. Madison, The Louisiana Purchase, the expedition of Lewis and Clark, Jefferson's imposition of trade restrictions with the passage of the Embargo Act of 1807, Robert Fulton's steamboat, and Zebulon Pike's explorations of the Southwest. Packet is due Tuesday.

Tuesday: America Under James Madison - 1809-1816 - The War of 1812 – We will study launching of the American "ship of state", the contributions of founding fathers, the Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, United States expansion and how it affected American Indians and foreign powers, how industrialization, immigration, expansion of slavery, and westward movement changed the lives of Americans and led toward regional tensions, the extension, restriction, and reorganization of American political democracy. Packet is due Wednesday.

Wednesday: America Under James Monroe and John Quincy Adams - 1817-1828 - The Monroe Doctrine and the Missouri Compromise – We will study the Seminole War and the Adams-Onis Treaty, the Missouri Compromise, Mexican Independence and the Opening of the Santa Fe Trail, the Monroe Doctrine, the Election of John Quincy Adams and the Founding of Fort Vancouver, implementing the "American System": The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the "Tariff of Abominations." Packet is due Thursday.

Thursday: America Under Andrew Jackson - 1829-1836 - The Indian Removal Act-The Nullification Crisis – We will study United States expansion and how it affected American Indians and foreign powers, how industrialization, immigration, expansion of slavery, and westward movement changed the lives of Americans and led toward regional tensions, the extension, restriction, and reorganization of American political democracy, and the sources and character of cultural, religious, and social reform movements in the antebellum period. Packet is due Monday.

2nd Year Social Studies (Period 2 & 4)

Monday: All About the Enlightenment - The Age of Reason – We will study the scientific method, Francis Bacon and René Descartes, the "Fathers of the Enlightenment," the value of rational thought, observation, generalization, the "Clockwork Universe", the world of Isaac Newton, the English Civil War, the Commonwealth, the Restoration, Bubonic Plague, calculus, optics, the Philosiphae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, even more Enlightenment science—scientific work of Anton Van Leeuwenhoek, Robert Hooke, William Harvey, and Carolus Linnaeus, the Enlightenment philosophers—John Locke (rule by the consent of the governed, the Glorious Revolution, basic human rights, freedom of the press, religious toleration), Voltaire, Freedom of Speech, Montesquieu, separation of governmental powers into legislative, executive, and judicial branches, separation of church and state, deism, the influence of the Enlightenment philosophers on the formation of the government of the United States. Packet is due Tuesday.

Tuesday: Roots of Religion – We will study the Ancient Middle East—Visit the ancient civilizations of Sumer and Egypt, and track how the Hebrews created a lasting culture and religion. In Search of Eden—follows scientists and theologians attempting to prove that Mesopotamia was the setting for the Book of Genesis. Islamic Civilization—shows how the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings gave birth to a religion that spread across and beyond the Middle East through trade and conquest. Islam: Past and Present—explores the history and teachings of Islam, from Muhammad’s struggles to the beliefs and practices of Muslims today. Packet is due Wednesday.

Wednesday: Religions of the World – Christianity – The religion of Christianity has more followers in the world today than any other. More than one billion eight hundred million people are considered Christians. In the last two thousand years, the life of one man, known as Jesus the Christ, may be said to have had a more profound effect on the course of history than that of any other being. Our study will stretch from the Sermon on the Mount to the Dead Sea Scrolls. We will learn about the life of Christ, the development of the early church, the split between East and West, the Reformation, the rituals that are a part of Christian tradition, and the controversy that has arisen as a result of modern archeological discoveries. Shot on location in Israel, France, England, and the United States, the video also includes interviews with theologians from several traditions. From these individuals, we gain personal insight into some of the beliefs that are a part of this great faith. Packet is due Thursday.

Thursday: Religions of the World – Hinduism – Hinduism is the world's most ancient living religion. It has 700 million followers; nearly one in every eight people on Earth is a Hindu. Hinduism has made a profound contribution to the religious and philosophical history of the world. It has spawned other religions, Buddhism and Sikhism in particular, and has contributed the concept of non-violent resistance as a means of political change. This program traces the development of Hinduism from its inception to the present day. Shot at numerous locations in India, it demystifies many of the concepts of the faith, including: the many gods of Hinduism, the transmigration of the soul, the Guru, the sacred cow, the caste system, the music and rituals. It also covers the conflict between Hindus and Muslims and the other religions that have sprung from Hinduism. Since religion has always been such a vital part of life in India, this program is more than simply an introduction to Hinduism. It provides an intimate look at Indian history, culture, and daily life, leaving the viewer with a sense of an expanded understanding of the mysterious part of the world. Packet is due Monday.

Health

Friday: Daily Food Choices for Healthy Living - This best-selling program has been revised using the latest USDA research on what foods North Americans eat and what nutrients are in those foods. With input from nutrition experts, health specialists, and home economics teachers, the program teaches how to make the best food choices. The USDA Food Guide Pyramid is used to illustrate the basic food groups. The program then helps the students put the dietary guidelines into practice. Students will learn what and how much to eat from each food group to get the nutrients needed, but not too many calories or too much fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, sodium or alcohol. Following the Pyramid will help keep the intake of total fat and saturated fat low and reduce chances of getting certain diseases and help maintain healthy weight. Students will also see how to control the sugar and salt in their diets and to make fewer sugar and salt choices. Special activities are provided for pregnant teens and young women. There will be a quiz.

2nd Year Medieval Project

During the Medieval era of history, life was lived by a very different set of political, economic, and social rules. The only form of government was a Monarchy where the king or queen ruled by "divine right." "Divine right" simply meant that God appointed the king or queen to rule with absolute power. The main economic system was Feudalism in which the king appointed a baron or knight to oversee a portion of his land in return for loyalty and protection in case of invasion. The baron or knight would oversee the serfs who labored on the land in return for protection given by the baron or knight.

You are a Medieval Castle Builder living in Wales in the year 1076. You are hired by the Norman Baron William de Clare to build him a fantastic castle in Aberystwyth, Wales. The population of Aberystwyth is approximately 300 serfs, 150 soldiers in residence, a household staff of about 50 people and approximately 20 family members.

The Baron wants his castle to not only be beautiful, but also the strongest castle of defense ever built. You are confident that you can build the Baron this castle because you have the technology to search out many different castles all over the world and select the best features from each.
Your design may take the shape of a three-dimensional model. The design must be complete and detailed and must give the viewer a true sense of what the castle will look like when it is actually built.

Your castle must be completed by February 27th for 2nd period and February 28th for 4th period. Please plan to take your castle home with you at the end of each day.

Kids Voting Arizona Presidential Preference Election

Total of Kid Votes cast: 92,206

Top Candidates by total Kid Votes:

Democrat
Obama, Barack (Dem): 33,985
Clinton, Hillary (Dem): 20,628
Whitehouse, Sandy (Dem): 991
Edwards, John (Dem): 950

Republican
McCain, John (Rep): 15,415
Romney, Mitt (Rep): 6,526
Huckabee, Mike (Rep): 2,586
Paul, Ron (Rep): 2,105

All Others (both parties): 9,020

Weekly Schedule February 4th – February 8th

This is our schedule for the week ending February 8th, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

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

Monday: Super Tuesday - We will be preparing to cast our vote on Tuesday. Students are going to determine the issues most important to them in the upcoming election and then find out what the candidates think about those issues. Students will then make an informed, reasoned decision about who they will vote for. There is no homework!

Tuesday: Super Tuesday – Students will vote and learn about the Electoral College. We will also view debate footage and follow the exit polling across the country. There is no homework!

Wednesday: Almost Painless Guide to the Judicial Branch – We will examine judicial checks and balances, the functions of the Supreme Court, and the appointment of Justices. We will also delve into judicial overview of lower courts and the power of the Supreme Court to influence history. There will be a packet and a quiz. Homework is due Thursday.

Thursday: Almost Painless Guide to the Legislative Branch – We will explore the functions of the Legislative branch of the U.S. Government: legislative checks and balances, the power to impeach, and the lawmaking process. We will also examine the origins of the two-house system and the structure of the Senate and House of Representatives. There will be a packet and a quiz. Homework is due next Monday.

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

Monday: Super Tuesday - We will be preparing to cast our vote on Tuesday. Students are going to determine the issues most important to them in the upcoming election and then find out what the candidates think about those issues. Students will then make an informed, reasoned decision about who they will vote for. There is no homework!

Tuesday: Super Tuesday – Students will vote and learn about the Electoral College. We will also view debate footage and follow the exit polling across the country. There is no homework!

Wednesday: The Protestant Reformation – We will learn about Martin Luther, a brilliant, highly emotional priest and scholar who, in 1517, posted his now-famous Ninety-Five Theses on a church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther's theses started the Protestant Reformation, a chain of events that would changes forever the character of Western European civilization. There will be a packet. Homework is due Thursday.

Thursday: The Age of Discovery – We will learn about one of the most exciting eras of history: the period from 1400 to 1550. We will view colorful historic artwork, animated maps, and beautiful live-action video from around the world, students learn about trade with the Far East in the fifteenth century and how restrictions on that trade helped bring about the Age of Discovery. The long-term effects of European colonization are also presented. There will be a packet and a quiz. Homework is due next Monday.

Health –

Friday: Daily Food Choices for Healthy Living - This best-selling program has been revised using the latest USDA research on what foods North Americans eat and what nutrients are in those foods. With input from nutrition experts, health specialists, and home economics teachers, the program teaches how to make the best food choices. The USDA Food Guide Pyramid is used to illustrate the basic food groups. The program then helps the students put the dietary guidelines into practice. Students will learn what and how much to eat from each food group to get the nutrients needed, but not too many calories or too much fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, sodium or alcohol. Following the Pyramid will help keep the intake of total fat and saturated fat low and reduce chances of getting certain diseases and help maintain healthy weight. Students will also see how to control the sugar and salt in their diets and to make fewer sugar and salt choices. There will be a quiz.