We are experiencing extraordinary times! Our country faces both an historic presidential election and a major shift in our economic system. The United States has been viewed by the world as a safe place to invest money, but the meltdown of our major investment firms and banks over the past few weeks has shocked not only Americans but the rest of the world as well. Our country has not seen an economic crisis like this since the Great Depression of the 1930s! We and our elected officials have some very difficult decisions to make as we try to find a path to economic recovery. These decisions could result in revolutionary changes to our economic system and ultimately to our society.
As we fast approach interterms, make sure you have your portfolio in the classroom with your status of assignment sheet and completed work. We all need to work on our organizational skills and maintaining your portfolio encourages this as well as a way for you to monitor your grade. You must have an updated portfolio in the class bin in order to meet standard.
We have Open House on October 2 and I look forward to seeing you and your parents and guardians at this annual event. It is a great time to help them understand what you are experiencing as a student. The event starts at 6:00 pm in the cafetorium with remarks by Mr. Ruscito, followed by visits to the classrooms.
Turn on the Tube
With national and international events moving at such a fast pace, you need to find quick ways to keep your self updated. Watching one of the major newscasts (ABC, CBS, NBC, or PBS) at 6:30 is an efficient way to become aware of major events. If you are at sports or work, you can update yourself by going online and watching video clips or reading the headlines.
CWI
This week our class work mirrored our national news: a study of economic systems. We used the PBS reading on the fall of the dollar and our twin federal budget and trade deficits to better understand how our country has reached a turning point in its ability to support a complex economic system. We used the text to learn about different types of economic systems, the role natural resources play in supporting an economy and the critical need for an up-to-date infrastructure to promote economic development. Review your notes and worksheets to prepare for the announced quiz. Your next current event is due September 30 and must be an economic news article. This week you received a detailed sheet to guide you in selecting your news article and a rubric. This is a great opportunity to earn lots of points!
Next week we are going to turn to our Presidential race. I hope you had the chance to watch part of the debate on Friday. Keep in mind this is your last chance to practice the process of thinking about the issues and selecting the candidate of your choice. We will be having a mock election at MHS on October 29 so you want to be prepared. The next time you vote, it will be the real thing!
World History
This week we talked about how war changes a country. While we used the Greek conflicts as a starting point, our discussion quickly turned to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. This week you also worked with your partner on the power point project on famous Greeks. This is an opportunity to practice team work and presentation skills. Make sure to follow the rubric and be ready to present on Monday.
AP European
October 1 is the final date to register for the AP exam. You have been working hard and if you want the AP designation on your transcript and the opportunity to take the test (to earn college credit) you must register with Mrs. Hicks.
This week you took your second AP style exam on the Reformation. Congratulations on your overall improvement on the multiple choice section of the exam. The multiple choice section of the AP exam in May is worth 50% of your score, so mastering the fine art of answering multiple choice questions will serve you well. While there is a great deal of information to digest, your study guide should direct you to the most important information. Over time you will also learn strategies for grouping and organizing information so you can quickly retrieve what you need for the exam.
We will continue to work with primary sources to become proficient at providing a summary and identifying a point of view. You will need both of these skills to provide the analysis required for the document based question (DBQ).
Recently, the publisher of the McKay text sent me an updated link that provides a wealth of information to help students better understand the material. Check it out but don’t let it overwhelm you... I found the chapter summary (2 pages) and the multiple choice quiz the most useful features.
We have Open House on October 2 and I look forward to seeing you and your parents and guardians at this annual event. It is a great time to help them understand what you are experiencing as a student. The event starts at 6:00 pm in the cafetorium with remarks by Mr. Ruscito, followed by visits to the classrooms.
Turn on the Tube
With national and international events moving at such a fast pace, you need to find quick ways to keep your self updated. Watching one of the major newscasts (ABC, CBS, NBC, or PBS) at 6:30 is an efficient way to become aware of major events. If you are at sports or work, you can update yourself by going online and watching video clips or reading the headlines.
CWI
This week our class work mirrored our national news: a study of economic systems. We used the PBS reading on the fall of the dollar and our twin federal budget and trade deficits to better understand how our country has reached a turning point in its ability to support a complex economic system. We used the text to learn about different types of economic systems, the role natural resources play in supporting an economy and the critical need for an up-to-date infrastructure to promote economic development. Review your notes and worksheets to prepare for the announced quiz. Your next current event is due September 30 and must be an economic news article. This week you received a detailed sheet to guide you in selecting your news article and a rubric. This is a great opportunity to earn lots of points!
Next week we are going to turn to our Presidential race. I hope you had the chance to watch part of the debate on Friday. Keep in mind this is your last chance to practice the process of thinking about the issues and selecting the candidate of your choice. We will be having a mock election at MHS on October 29 so you want to be prepared. The next time you vote, it will be the real thing!
World History
This week we talked about how war changes a country. While we used the Greek conflicts as a starting point, our discussion quickly turned to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. This week you also worked with your partner on the power point project on famous Greeks. This is an opportunity to practice team work and presentation skills. Make sure to follow the rubric and be ready to present on Monday.
AP European
October 1 is the final date to register for the AP exam. You have been working hard and if you want the AP designation on your transcript and the opportunity to take the test (to earn college credit) you must register with Mrs. Hicks.
This week you took your second AP style exam on the Reformation. Congratulations on your overall improvement on the multiple choice section of the exam. The multiple choice section of the AP exam in May is worth 50% of your score, so mastering the fine art of answering multiple choice questions will serve you well. While there is a great deal of information to digest, your study guide should direct you to the most important information. Over time you will also learn strategies for grouping and organizing information so you can quickly retrieve what you need for the exam.
We will continue to work with primary sources to become proficient at providing a summary and identifying a point of view. You will need both of these skills to provide the analysis required for the document based question (DBQ).
Recently, the publisher of the McKay text sent me an updated link that provides a wealth of information to help students better understand the material. Check it out but don’t let it overwhelm you... I found the chapter summary (2 pages) and the multiple choice quiz the most useful features.
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