Celebrating our Freedoms

Happy Bill of Rights Day!
We took time off from our busy schedule to celebrate Bill of Rights Day on December 15. This is a great time to pause and think about how fortunate we are to live in a country that respects and promotes individual liberty. It is amazing that so many people do not know their basic rights, but you did a great job outlining our five essential freedoms under the First Amendment: freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition. Bill of Rights Day was formally declared in 1941 when President Franklin Roosevelt asked all Americans to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the passage of the Bill of Rights. So when you walk into room 246 and see the bright lights you know it is time to celebrate!

CWI
This week we completed our study of South Asia by listening to the President on 60 Minutes explain his strategy for dealing with Afghanistan and Pakistan, reading “India At the Crossroads,” and doing a group project on Pakistan. We also had the opportunity to watch a video clip, “Tuning out the Taliban,” about rock bands in Pakistan that write protest songs focused on their hate for the West. It was interesting to hear the band members explain that they view the Taliban as a small problem within their country but at the same time refuse to write songs criticizing the Taliban out of fear for their lives.

Our final assessment on South Asia will be Monday December 21. It is the same day that your current event is due for this region. Doing your current event will help you prepare for the assessment. You will be given 3 open ended questions (remember you worked on these after completing the Pakistan readings) and you need to write on one. You will have two short response questions and you need to select one. And finally, you will be given an excerpt from a news article and you will have to mark up the text and do a 3-2-1.

If we stay on task you will leave with no homework over the December break!

World History
This week we focused on reading primary sources in order to prepare for the portfolio task. You have your packet of worksheets on the Industrial Revolution and at this point they should be completed. This packet will help you prepare for the task as well as our final assessment, which will be on December 22. The assessment, per your request, will have 11 multiple choice, 4 matching (each worth 2points) and one essay (10 points). You will be given 3 essays and you select one.

On Thursday we went over the rubric that we will use for the task. The task will require you to use the APPARTS form with two documents. We have practiced analyzing documents using the form, and you have a wealth of background information.

On Thursday we also worked on our Industrial Revolution interviews. Make sure the interview is handed in by Friday.

Current event is due December 23.

Extra Credit Question:
President Obama recently spoke to the Cadets at West Point. What Presidents actually graduated from West Point?

MHS: Home to RI's Teacher of the Year!

What an exciting week for all of us at MHS as we welcomed Governor Carcieri and Commissioner of Education Gist to our school. At first it was expected that the school was being honored for its great improvements on the state science and math tests but as the event rolled on we quickly noticed a change in tone...a change in direction...and then it was announced that our own Senor Ramey was being named the Rhode Island Teacher of the Year! We are so proud of all that Senor Ramey does to make foreign language a meaningful experience for all of us. So we pause to applaud and say thank you to an exemplary teacher!

CWI

This week we continued with our study of India. You had your map and text quiz. You were allowed to use your map and notes to take the quiz so high grades should have been earned by all. When doing your maps, you should be asking yourself why you are being asked to put certain countries, regions or landmarks on the map. You need to be integrating information from your readings as you assemble your map. Some students indicated that Kashmir was a country while in fact it is a region that has caused great conflict between Pakistan and India. As you read “The World Today” you learned about that on going conflict.

We watched and listened to our President toast Prime Minister Singh at the recent state dinner. The President’s remarks linked directly to our readings: largest democracy in the world and a shared heritage with Gandhi and King.

We read an UpFront article “India at the Crossroads” that spoke about the efforts to industrialize and modernize India while preserving its agricultural base. You had a guided reading worksheet that should have been turned in at the end of class. We also read a New York Times article on the young women who left their rural towns to seek employment in Bangalore. As we read we listed how their lives changed and then listed what remained the same. This article directly links to your life as you begin to ponder what your life will be like once you leave MHS. Will it be time for you to venture off to a new location...maybe a big city...maybe a new state?

We also watched the Emmy award winning NOW show “India Rising.” As we watched this show, we listed how globalization and the rise of the middle class in India could help the US and how it could hurt the US. Knowing that Indian students are competing with you for the jobs of future will hopefully give you an added incentive to work hard.

Our current events would not be complete without watching and discussing President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize speech on December 10. The President outlined his thoughts on a just war and how America must be held to a higher standard as we try to eliminate evil forces in the world. He spoke of the need to talk with our enemies and to use world wide sanctions in an effort to get all nations to treat its people with dignity and to provide economic opportunities for its citizens.


On Friday you handed in your status of assignment sheet and I was pleased to see many of you with improved scores. You are responsible for keeping your portfolio up to date and the status of assignment sheet filled in. If you are absent, you need to take the time to stay after school to get the missed work and to update the sheet. You will be glad you did as we approach mid terms and you have all of your work in one place. If you are below standard, you still have four weeks to pull up your grade. When reviewing why a student might be below standard it usually comes down to one reason: they didn’t do the assignments. You have amply time...you can use notes and maps for quizzes....you have the opportunity to revise...it is up to you.

World History

This week we continued our study of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain. We added to our chart on the advantages and disadvantages of factory work for the workers and the owners. Sometimes we spend too much time dwelling on the ill conditions of the workers when we must also look at the risk that the owners took as they financed new inventions and processes. The owners also had to manage large groups of people something that was new as people moved from domestic or cottage industries to large scale facilities.

We watched the video clips which helped us visualize the factories and the improvements to transportation systems with the introduction of the steam engine.

Finally, we started looking at a variety of primary sources. What are we learning about the Industrial Revolution that we can connect to our prior knowledge? Why were these sources written? What was the intended audience? Are they reliable or biased? All of these questions must be asked as we try to discover the validity of the sources. We will continue to practice analyzing the documents as we prepare for our first portfolio task.

Interterms are this week. Congratulations to all who are meeting standard. If you are below standard, this is the time to ask why...are your revising? Are you handing in all of the assignments? Are you earning high grades on the current events?

On Stage

This was a great week – and weekend – for MHS talent to shine! Our pep rally on Friday, led by our talented singers and musicians, put us in the mood to cheer on our football team as they get ready to play the Super Bowl on Sunday. A special thanks to our cheerleaders, who bring out the best in our school spirit. As a history person, I wonder if this is what nationalism must have felt like in the late 1700s?

Congratulations to all of our thespians who brought laughter to the stage with “Just Another High School Play.” It was a great performance that showcased so many students...did I really see football players on that stage?

CWI

This week we designed our current events questions and answered them using our notes. You should be able to earn high marks on this quiz as long as you had good notes and listened to the class discussion. This is a reminder that if you watch the evening national news, it is great background for this class. You will notice that key stories are repeated and many of our key world leaders continually appear.

You also took your final writing assessment on South West Asia. The open ended question gave you the opportunity to integrate all that you have learned about this region from your current events, text reading, UpFront articles and internet activities. You were also able to use your map for the assessment.

We have now moved on to South Asia. This region contains Pakistan, recently described by Vice President Biden as “the most dangerous country in the world.” It also contains India, the largest democracy in the world. President and Mrs. Obama held their first State Dinner to honor Prime Minister and Mrs. Singh from India. Once we have the LCD projector working again, we will look at clips from this exciting event.

While India still copes with poverty, they are making significant strides in improving their standard of living. We viewed the New York Times slide show on one young lady who has moved from being a subsistence farmer to working at a call center and now earns $70 a month. While that amount seems small by our standards, it is a significant amount of money in India. Young people in this country are working very hard to master English and technical skills so they can be part of the outsourcing industry that many international companies use.

The standard of living is improving in India...what is happening to our standard of living in the United States? Are the two related? Are we on an international seesaw? This is a question we will consider as we continue our study of this region next week.

Many of you have mastered the art of map making and are earning high marks. Samples of excellent work are hanging on the board...take a minute to look at them so you can improve your own map making skills. The rubric clearly outlines what needs to be included on the map.

Next week we will have our map quiz (using your map) and also a few questions from our readings. You should have completed the text assignment and The World Today pages. We did a review of key concepts and vocabulary in class. Improving and increasing your vocabulary is a sure fire way to improve your test scores. As Juniors you know the importance of state testing and the SATs. High test scores open many doors!

Your next current event is due December 8 and it must be on a country from South Asia.

World History

This week you had your first “book” test. You were given a study guide with an outline of the test questions. Students who took the time to use the guide earned high grades. If you struggled with the test, take the time to think about how you prepared and what you need to do next time to improve your grade. In addition to content, we need to learn habits of mind...what do we need to do to be successful learners? As the amount of reading increases there is more for you to do to organize the information. Keep in mind all of the strategies we have been using: bold to bold notes, questioning the text, vocabulary and preparing lists or charts.

You started your Industrial Revolution packet. Make sure to keep up with the reading and worksheets. As you read section 3 this weekend, design a chart that shows the advantages and disadvantages of factory work for the owner and the worker. This information will help you get ready for the graduation portfolio task that will be offered next week. The task is a response to informational text. That is a fancy way of saying that you will be asked to analyze two primary source documents and then respond to a prompt. The prompt will require you to integrate information from the documents AND your prior knowledge.

If our LCD projector is back on line, we will watch a series of clips about the Industrial Revolution so you can see the factories, machinery, and workers. We will also have a clip on city life and the improvements in transportation that allowed large quantities of goods and natural resources to be moved with great efficiency.

Be prepared to answer questions on Monday as to why the Industrial Revolution started in Great Britain.

Your next current event is due December 7 and must be an article about business. You have a current events rubric and have practiced this assignment, so by now you should be earning 9s and 10s!

Extra Credit:

Why is December 7 known as “a day that will live in infamy?” Who used this term to describe the day?

A Time to Give Thanks

A Day to Give Thanks

In between football games, parades, and eating turkey, I hope all of us took a moment to remember why we commemorate this day and give thanks to those who suffered through many hardships to establish a place in the New World where freedom and tolerance could flourish. We should also remember those who were living here before the arrival of Europeans and who greeted the newcomers in peace and helped them survive. A special thank you must also be given to our Founders who recognized the worth and value of each individual and sought to design a country where all would have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. We also owe thanks to those of succeeding generations, right up to today, who have struggled and sacrificed to bring the Founders’ vision closer to reality. No matter what hardships or misfortunes we may face, we live in a country that extols freedom and where opportunities abound. It is a heritage we must do all we can to nurture and maintain.

Congratulations

The list of students at MHS earning Honor Roll status was impressive. The Newport Daily News printed our honorees in Saturday’s paper! We should also extend congratulations to our football team for bringing home a win in the Thanksgiving Day rivalry between MHS and Portsmouth. Great job!

CWI

We finished our study of South West Asia by designing a profile of Afghanistan using our text and Goode’s Atlas. Using the atlas gave you the opportunity to see the wealth of statistical data available for countries around the world. Using the calorie map you quickly saw that a large percentage of the population has a very poor diet. When we watched the Independent Lens film on women in Afghanistan, this aspect of their life was referenced when one of the women commented that they had not eaten meat in over six months. The film gave you a more personal look at the lives of women and young children under the rule of the Taliban. We also read a brief Q and A piece from The Washington Post that answered some basic questions about why the American government is concerned with this country. Finally, we used the ABC Afghanistan slide shows to look at this country and to see how 30 years of wars have scarred the people and the landscape.

So we have now completed our study of this region and as announced last week we are ready for a final assessment. Your final assessment will be an in class on demand writing assignment. You will be allowed to use your map for the assignment. The best way to prepare is to review your worksheets and activities. You can also use your text to review the region and its challenges. Your assignment will require you to integrate your knowledge of the history and geography of the region with your understanding of current events in the region. It is an open ended question so you will have some flexibility in how you decide to respond to the question but you will be evaluated on accuracy of information.

On Monday you will have the opportunity to review for the assessment, start your map for the next region, and help write questions for an upcoming current events quiz.

Our next area of study will be South East Asia, which includes Pakistan and India. India has been front page news this past week as our President has hosted its Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. To honor our guest from India, President and Mrs. Obama held their first state dinner on November 24. A White House State dinner is one of the most coveted events in Washington. This state dinner was an elegant event complete with a guest list of who’s who from government and the arts but it also included a gate crashing couple. It is shocking to learn that an uninvited couple was able to enter secure grounds and make physical contact with the President. The Secret Service is rightfully embarrassed and has pledged to review its policies. As someone who has entered the White House on a number of occasions, I was surprised by this break in security. Names, social security numbers, photo IDs and multiple check points have always been in place to keep our top officials safe. According to one expert, threats against the President have increased 400 percent since President Obama took office. In such threatening times, it is especially disturbing to see this lapse occur.

World History

We have finished our study of the French Revolution and Napoleon and are ready for our book test on December 1. On the first, you will need to hand in your section 5 worksheet and map of Europe after the Congress of Vienna. You were given a study guide for the test as well as an outline as to what types of questions would be on the test. If you take the time to use your study guide, review your packet, notes from class, and text reading you should be in good shape for the test. As you review the content, keep in mind that your brain can work more efficiently if you break information into smaller chunks and organize it in a format that is easy to recall. Last week we made a list of Napoleon’s good features and his shortcomings...a quick way to recall information on the Emperor.

Our Eyes Turn to the East

This week you wrote your reflection letters and shared your success or challenges with your family. I was impressed with your ability to express your strengths and weaknesses as you established goals for second quarter. How do we know we have reached our destination if we don’t start off with a goal? Every day is a new opportunity to work towards a positive outcome. This is your friendly reminder that extra support is available after school every day except Tuesday (faculty and department meetings). Take advantage of all of the different avenues you have to be successful.

Thank You

Parent, teacher, student conference night was a big success. Thank you to all that came by and learned about the content, strategies, and habits of mind that we have been working on this year.

CWI

Our President has had a whirlwind week as he visited Japan, Korea, and China. He had the difficult job in China of balancing the United States’ dependency on foreign capital against concern for greater human rights. He wanted to maintain our strong ties with Japan while urging even greater cooperation with China. Only a few years ago, China was seen as a large poverty stricken country with an oppressive government. Times are changing and China has risen rapidly on the world stage. It has the largest military force in the world, has the third largest economy, and holds much of the United States’ debt. We will be turning to our study of China in December. Having visited China this past summer gives me a greater appreciation for the drive, ambition and focus of this huge country.

We continued our study of South West Asia as we finished our “Seeds of Peace” activity that promotes peaceful relations between the Israelis and Palestinians. Stereotyping can lead to conflict but getting to know and understand people can help relieve tension. We concluded that while we may not always agree with another person, we can still respect them. A good lesson for all of us.

We also read two articles about “Growing up Saudi.” These UpFront articles described the life typical Saudi teenagers and pointed out the strict guidelines that all young people, but especially young women, must follow. Our video clips on “Lifting the Veil,” however, showed that times are also changing in this tradition-bound country. With 70% of the population under 30, rules and regulations will be challenged. We also heard from Robert Lacey, author of “In the Kingdom.” He clearly outlined the three reasons why the Saudis “hate” Americans: our support for Israel, our fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan against fellow Muslims, and our decadent society as illustrated by our television shows and manner of dress. Lacey also recommended that the one way we could forge a better relationship was through education. Both countries need to better understand the other country’s culture and beliefs. A great reason for you take CWI!

One class had an accountable talk activity on Growing Up Saudi. Accountable talk gives us the opportunity to explore our thinking and the thinking of others. We need to ask questions...we need to press for understanding...we need to integrate our readings as a way to support our positions. It is also a time to learn how to listen and to make time for all to speak. You may think that as long as you are talking you are earning points but you can also earn points by integrating others into the conversation. No one wants to hear from just two or three people...we want everyone to have an opportunity to state their ideas. These are all great skills that you can use as you head out into the world.

Your next current event is due on Monday November 23 and it needs to be about Afghanistan. You have the current event rubric and if you follow it you can earn full credit. As you can see from the first quarter grades, those students who take the time and put in the effort can earn lots of points with quality summaries and comments.

We will be concluding our study of South West Asia next week and our final assessment will ask you to integrate your current events, class activities, and readings into a coherent on-demand piece of writing.

World History

We continued our study of The French Revolution this week and watched a video about Napoleon.

Our group activity focused on analyzing two primary sources found in your text on pages 1010 and 1011. We stressed the importance of vocabulary as you cannot understand a document if you don’t understand the words. Take the time to look up words so you can gain a full understanding of the text. Working in a group gives everyone support as long as you are actively engaged in trying to construct your own meaning of the document. We spend a great deal of time with primary sources as that is what historians do and you will be asked to do document analysis as part of the graduation tasks that will be offered in the coming weeks.

You had a “quiz” on the causes of The French Revolution and many of you did a great job. Make sure to take the time to review each evening to prepare for the next day of class.

We also used another reading strategy to better understand how daily life during the Revolution changed. By taking the bold headlines in your text and converting them into a question, it helps guide you as you gather information. For example, we turned the headline “Changes in Daily Life” into a question: How did daily life change during the Revolution? We then wrote the top five changes on the board and debated each one, making changes until we agreed on the top five. This is another strategy you can use to rank the importance of information. While we have learned numerous strategies to improve reading and comprehension, they are only useful if you use them. Too many students had blank or incomplete worksheets when it came time to review “The Age of Napoleon Begins.”

The video helped us visualize much of the information in the text and gave us the opportunity to listen for key information. You should get in the habit of taking enough notes to gain understanding but not so many that you miss the visual impact of the story. This is an art that is learned by practicing your listening and note taking skills.

Your current event on any national or international story is due November 24. The current events assignment is a great way to build up points. You have the rubric and by now should be earning 9 or 10 on the assignment.

Next week we will have a map assignment so bring your colored pencils. You will also be given a study guide for the test, and as we agreed you will use it to study but it will not be collected and evaluated.

Extra Credit

When should a person be considered an adult? Come in with a response and be able to explain your reasoning....happy thinking!

A Time to Honor

This was a week when we paused to remember and thank our Veterans. As we read about areas around the world that are struggling with oppression we must recall the service that our men and women in the armed services have provided over the course of our history. Without their unswerving support for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” we would not be the country we are today.

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences

Our conference time is scheduled for November 18 from 4 to 7. This is a time when all of us can sit down and review what you have accomplished first quarter and make plans for the next quarter. Maintaining the portfolio will allow you to show your parents or guardians the type and quality of work you have been engaged in. As part of our end of quarter activities, you will be writing a letter home explaining the content and skills you have been working on, what you accomplished first quarter, and your plans for second quarter.

Absences

This year we have been hit with an early flu season which has resulted in absences. If you have been absent, make sure you take the time to stay after school to find out what lessons and assignments you missed so you can stay current with your work. You have five days to make up missed work. You may also use Advisory time to come by 246 to make up work if you have asked in advance for a pass.

CWI

This week we started our unit on South West Asia and began with the map and map quiz. Maps are especially important for this region as you see how Israel was carved out of an area inhabited by Palestinians. You need to look at the complicated borders to see how division is further escalated by multiple sections of land inhabited by both Palestinians and Israelis. You can also see that Afghanistan’s future is hampered by being land locked. And you can see the importance of the Suez Canal as a short cut from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea.

Using questions developed by Public Broadcasting’s New Hour, you worked on gathering information from multiple web sites to learn about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This conflict continues today and your current event focused on these two groups and their ongoing violent disagreements. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has been in the region as well as Secretary of State Clinton urging the two sides to sit down and negotiate a peaceful solution.

We also read about the “hotspots” around the world that President Obama and his administration must deal with. Of the top 10 areas of conflict, 4 were from the South West Asia region. After reading the article, you had to define the problem and come up with your solution. If you were sitting in the Oval Office and the President asked for your thoughts on the conflict...what would you recommend?

On Friday we spent time on a human rights web site gathering information about refugees from South West Asia and then we went to Beyond the Fire to hear from teens that are refugees.

Finally, some classes started the “Seeds of Peace” activity where you take on the identity of a teenager from this region. By reading about their experiences it helps to understand their perspective. Conflict comes about when we don’t make the effort to understand another’s point of view and don’t respect the attitudes, feelings and needs of others. The Seeds of Peace program tries to break down these barriers by giving young people a chance to get to know one and another. This program reminds me of an article I read in the New York Times Magazine last week commemorating Sesame Street’s 40th anniversary. As Sesame Street goes international, it has encountered unique problems as it tries to write a program that would appeal to Palestinian children. The writers of Sesame Street want to encourage peaceful relations among Palestinian and Israeli children and yet are having a difficult time trying to write scenarios that inform and educate but don’t offend.

World History

This week we finished our Enlightenment interviews. The new ideas of social contract and man having rights fueled the French Revolution. In your packet are two primary sources...they can be challenging but we need to practice with the documents as you have two upcoming graduation tasks that are based on your ability to interpret primary sources. Next week we will look at the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen” as well as the “Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen.”

The French Revolution can be broken down into four phases: the moderate phase from 1789-1791, a radical phase from 1792-1794 sometimes known as the Reign of Terror, the Directory phase from 1795-1799 and the final phase known as the Age of Napoleon from 1799-1815. Our video on the Revolution produced by the History Channel gives us a good sense of the struggles the people of France had with everyday living while the nobility and the clergy were removed from toil and strife. Our video goes on to show how emotions finally erupted and the King and Queen are captured from Versailles and brought to Paris to face justice.

Next week we will finish the tape, and spend some time reading about Napoleon. Let me remind you that at the end of this unit you will have a standardized book exam. Your mid-term will be based on a standardized book exam so I want you to have practice with this type of assessment.

The End of Quarter One

CWI

We have left the continent of Africa, but I hope you will keep up with this large and diverse continent by continuing to follow current events. Many of you in your final on demand writing assessment spoke about how you would like to help the people of Africa meet some of their challenges, and I would urge you to check out organizations that could use your assistance. There are groups aimed at helping meet the need for food, working to combat disease, and providing economic development assistance. Get involved... maybe this could become a Capstone project!

We ended our unit with the viewing of “War Dance,” an award winning movie about the children of northern Uganda who were able to put their war torn past behind them and go on to win music and dance awards at the annual Kampala Music Festival. The directors and producers of “War Dance” may be doing a sequel...so stay tuned for further updates on Dominic, Nancy and Rose.

We have started our unit on South West Asia and your map from this region will be due on Monday. Your rubric clearly lists all the items you need on the map. Please be prepared for the traditional map quiz. President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton have made this area of the world a top priority as they try to restart the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, plan for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, and continue efforts to help establish a free and democratic Afghanistan.

We are at the end of the quarter so we will have time in the coming week to enter grades for your power point projects and reflection sheet. It is a great time to pause and think about all that you have accomplished this quarter. If you met your goals, congratulations...if you want to improve, now is the time to put together a plan.

World History

This week we juggled a bit as so many of our fellow students were absent. We hope everyone is feeling better and will return to the class on Monday. We would like to finish the Enlightenment interviews on Monday as well as the Locke and Hobbes comparison sheets. We also had our last current event for the quarter on Friday.

This past week we started our unit on The French Revolution. At the end of this unit you will have a traditional book exam. While we usually do not have standardized exams, I want you to have practice with this type of exam as much of the mid term in January will be a standardized book exam.

We talked about why people revolt and the leading causes of the French Revolution. You finished the guided reading worksheet for section 1, the cartoon, and for homework you need to read section 2 and do the first primary source reading sheet.

As ninth graders you have so many new demands that it is prudent to pause at the end of this first quarter and reflect on what you have done, where you have been successful and where you have struggled. There is always room for improvement and we want to take those opportunities so we can all be better students.

Some of you struggled keeping the status of assignment sheet up to date and organized. We will be using this method for the rest of the year. Every few days I write the assignments on the board and their value. You need to copy this information on to your sheet and then fill in your score as well as file your work in the folder. These are your points and you are responsible for keeping your work organized. It will be especially useful to you for the mid-term exam as you are tested on material from September through January and having the portfolio will give you ample material to review.


Parent-Teacher Conferences

Your family should be receiving a notice about our upcoming conferences scheduled for November 18. I am looking forward to meeting with you and your family as we review your progress and plan for the remaining school year. You should be part of the conference as you are the one doing the work.

Extra Credit:

Why is Veteran’s Day celebrated on November 11?

The Power of Partnership

This week with the help of technology we traveled to the second largest continent, Africa. Your projects clearly illustrated the numerous challenges, opportunities and successes of the different countries we visited. I hope you have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of the people of this continent.

Your projects have made an impression: your choice of photos to help tell the story was impressive. Your use of note cards allowed for a smooth presentation and added confidence to your comments. Some of you are natural presenters: you stood tall, spoke clearly and at an understandable pace. All of these skills will serve you well when it comes time for your Capstone presentation and in your future calling, whatever that may be. Finally, your reflection and self evaluations gave you the opportunity to think about the steps of the project and how you could improve. So often we get so busy doing that we forget to pause and reflect.

Things to keep in mind as you go do future presentations :

1. Make sure you understand all the terms you use...copying information onto a note card without understanding the content can be dangerous...one student used the term “emerging market” to describe the country and then immediately defined the word for us...great job!

2. You should be able to identify every illustration you use and say why you selected it; the illustrations are supposed to help tell the story...not distract attention from the point you are trying to make...if you are talking about tourism, then an appropriate photo of a place of beauty or interest would support your point.

3. Not all answers are found on the web...some groups struggled with the opportunity
slide (what could be the future of the country) and the success slide...these focus questions required you to think about the material you had read, analyze the different sources and then to synthesize the information into a coherent prediction. It can be hard but it is a skill you need to practice.

4. Your source slide should list all the resources you used for the project. You will look at some sources and decide not to use them and those do not have to go on the list. The source slide is not a laundry list but a concise listing of the sources where you found useful information. When you do your Capstone, you will be asked to do an annotated bibliography which will require you to explain how each source helped you with your project. Students often list Google or Bing as a source...they are not sources but search engines.

On Monday we will finish our study of Africa with an on-demand writing assignment. You will be given 3 short response essays and you need to write on 2 . It is an opportunity for you to step back and look at this continent. Your final worksheets on health and economic development should be turned in.

Some of the classes watched Nicolas Kristof’s slide show, “Half the Sky.” This award winning journalist thinks differently about how to solve big problems. Instead of spending millions of dollars on grand projects, Kristof is a supporter of micro financing. He believes small loans directly to individuals will have a bigger impact on the quality of life. If you want to read more about micro financing I have given you a link to Kiva.

Next week we will be watching “War Dance,” an inspirational and true story of a group of high school students from Uganda who participated in the country’s annual song and dance competition after undergoing horrifying experiences as captives of the terroristic Lord’s Resistance Army.

While there is no homework for the weekend, make sure you are watching the news. Our next unit on South West Asia will study an area that has been the main focus of international coverage since September 11, 2001, most recently featuring massive terrorist attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan while Secretary of State Clinton visited the region.

World History

This week you designed a timeline that showed the key events in England as Kings struggled with Parliament over who was going to rule. Working with a partner allowed you to debate the importance of the events and decide what to put on your timeline. You could see the progression of Parliament’s efforts to gain power, while an unpopular King was beheaded. Finally, people craved stability and brought back William and Mary to help rule, but the new monarchs realized they would have to work with Parliament to be successful.

Working with a partner means that you have to plan how responsibilities will be distributed. You are fortunate to have access to so many means of communication that you can complete tasks individually while continuing to coordinate your efforts. Be sure your are ready to hand in your work at the start of class.

This coming week you will do your interviews. This is a great opportunity to display your creative side and have fun talking with someone from the past. We will meet such interesting people as Catherine the Great, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes and Adam Smith. These people and their “enlightened” ideas are still with us today.

This Day in history

1517: Luther posted his 95 Theses, which started the Reformation
1984: Indira Gandhi was assassinated in India

Halloween

As part of our study of Africa, we looked at different organizations that help the people. One of the more popular groups is UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund. In today’s paper, there is a tribute to the founders and an appeal to collect money this Halloween for the children of the world who are subject to famine and disease.

Have a fun and safe evening...extra credit for those dressing up as historical figures or elected officials!

A Week of Projects

This week through the use of technology we have been brought a little closer to Africa. In your groups you have had the opportunity to discover a new land with challenges, opportunities and some success stories. You have a rubric and a task sheet that you can use to put together a successful project. Read the assignment carefully. Have you included all of the components? Do you have note cards? Have you practiced doing the presentation? This small project with a group is good practice for doing your Capstone. On Tuesday you will have a final day in the library to wrap up any loose ends and to email me the presentation. If you are done with your project, we will be reading in our text about some of the health challenges of this large and diverse continent.

This is a group project so make sure you are ready to participate!

This week you also completed your maps of Africa and used them to help you respond to some questions. Maps that were clear and easy to read allowed you to complete those questions with ease.

One of our in class activities focused on famine…its causes, the size of the problem and a look at some of the organizations trying to help eliminate famine. You are responsible for looking up basic information about one of the aid groups that is assisting in this effort. You also have an economic worksheet to help you with your text reading.

Finally, we met William Kamkwamba, a young man from Malawi, who built a windmill so his family could have electricity. So often we are confronted with challenges and we give up because we don’t have the money or the knowhow. William told you, in his own words, how he solved the problem by teaching himself how to generate electricity and then by building a windmill from rubbish. It is truly an inspirational story. If you want to know more about William, you can read “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.”

World History

This week we have been studying Louis XIV…a complex absolute monarch who loved fine clothes, food, art, and war. Your spoke diagram assignment gave you the opportunity to think about his polices and character traits that made him an absolute monarch. We read two primary source readings to gain further insight into how this man thought and acted among his subjects. All of these tasks led us to our first essay assignment. You have a graphic organizer and the prompt. We went over how to put a thesis testament together and how to organize your essay. Your essay is due on Monday and it must be word processed.

A Week of Spirit

What a great spirit week we had...funny costumes, great hallways, a winning football game and now the dance. Have a wonderful time this evening...dance...laugh...take pictures and stay safe. See you on Monday with smiles on your face and stories of a good time

CWI

This week we finished our study of economic geography by bringing in current events that had a business angle. Many news web pages and newspapers organize their stories using a business designation, so finding the international business article should not have been too much of a challenge. What can be difficult is understanding the vocabulary of a news article. Take the time to look up unfamiliar words, talk to another person about the word and try to understand the meaning within its context. Increasing your vocabulary skills will help you with your writing, verbal explanations and testing.

We finished our accountable talk activity using an article about the genocide in Darfur and an article about children soldiers. We will continue to do accountable talk as it gives you the opportunity to further clarify your thinking, to look deeply at subjects and to make connections. Scientists have told us that if we can attach new information to existing information in our brains, we are more likely to remember and use the new information. This is why we talk about making connections. Reading about the under-aged and armed reminded me of the tragic stories from our own urban areas where young people are involved in gang violence and the use of weapons.

Your first map of Africa is due Monday. You will each do two maps over the next few days. A physical map will show you the geographic diversity of this continent. A political map will show you where the 53 countries are located, the names of their capitols, and how geographers divide Africa into five regions. You have a rubric, so follow it to earn full credit.

Finally, we started our African power point project by selecting groups and assigning a country. You picked your own groups so you should be able to work well together. You are going to become the resident experts on your country as every group has a different assignment. On Monday I will check to see what information you brought to the group. You must do some of the research for homework and use class time to build the slides. The power point software is available at school so use your school time for building the slides. You should also use Monday to organize your team...who is going to be responsible for finding information on each of the three questions: what are the challenges, opportunities and successes of your country. This should be a fun activity as you get to explore a new country.

World History

This week you worked with a partner designing a chart on the explorers of the 16th century. This assignment allowed you to discover key information about leading explorers and to put the information into a chart. Using charts to organize information is a very useful exercise for any content area. Our brains like organization and we tend to remember categories of information as opposed to long narratives.

We also looked at a famous painting of Louis XIV...the Sun King who epitomized the absolute monarchs. In your readings you were able to distinguish which of his actions and decisions were good for the country and which were detrimental. Your spoke-diagram assignment gives you the opportunity to categorize this information in a visual format and write brief explanations interpreting the times of Louis XIV.

Next week you will be given your first essay assignment as we read multiple sources about Louis and write about how he kept all of his people, nobles as well as peasants, subservient to him.

Extra Credit Question

Be the first in your class to answer the question and earn extra credit:

What woman won the Nobel Peace Prize on October 17, 1979?

Happy Birthday BABM!

One World- of Peace?

This week President Obama became the third sitting President to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Many were surprised that Obama, who has been in office less than a year, was awarded what many consider the most prestigious award for public service. The statement accompanying the award said that Obama was receiving this accolade for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” In addition, the Committee cited the President’s efforts towards nuclear disarmament. We should all pause and think about the implications of this award as we try to move towards a more peaceful world and to consider how we as Americans relate to the people of other nations.

CWI

We have struggled this week with NECAP testing and shorter class periods. If you have been absent any time this past week, you will be rescheduled for your tests and you will have to make arrangements to make up your class work after school. Time is available any afternoon except Tuesdays but keep in mind you have five days to make up missed work due to an excused absence.

Your current event linked to religion was due on October 5. As you read about conflicts around the world, you will quickly note that many disagreements are based on religious differences and misunderstandings. There seems to be unwillingness to share and work towards cooperation when religious differences are in the forefront. Your next current event is due October 14 and it must be an international economics or business story. Keep in mind that most newspapers and journals have a designated section for business so you should be able to find an article that interests you.

This week we discussed the different types of governments that are found around the world. Knowing how a country governs itself will give you special insight into its relationship with the world. In addition, we talked about how the size, location and shape of a country impact its ability to trade and to protect itself. Think about the disadvantages a landlocked country may have as opposed to a country with ample sea ports.

We also tackled a difficult chapter on economic geography. The text was loaded with new vocabulary words to help describe economic systems, activities and how to measure economic output. These vocabulary words will be useful when you analyze your current event on business.

We had a series of “quizzes” as we ended each of these segments. The questions have been a mixture of identification based on the vocabulary and an open ended question which allows you to apply the information you have learned. Full credit will be earned for responses that are well thought out and respond to all parts of the question.

Finally, the period F class conducted their first accountable talk activity based on readings about Africa. Accountable talk gives you the opportunity to discuss issues with your classmates. You can share your insights and observations. You can ask fellow students for clarification of complex problems and questions. It is a time to delve more deeply into articles and speculate and make predictions. We will continue to work on this activity so you can improve your thinking and speaking skills.

Interterm reports

Our interterm reports went out this week. Many of you had well organized portfolios with an up to date status of assignment sheet. You will be pleased that all of your work is in one location as it will give you a head start for studying for the mid term exam. As announced for the past 2 weeks, if you did not have a folder with an update sheet, you were below standard. Take the time to organize your work and keep the folder in the bin so you can earn all of your credit.

World History

We had our second current event this week and your next one is due October 16. The next event must be an international event. Make sure to follow the rubric to earn full credit.

We finished our historical dialogues. We will be doing this again as it is a great way to step back into history and try to put yourself in the place of some of our leading figures.

This week you had the opportunity to work with a partner on your scientific revolution project. We met some interesting people who made major contributions to our understanding of scientific method, math, medicine and astronomy. You also linked these people from the past with contemporary scientists who continue to lead our common effort to better understand our world and the universe beyond.

Improving your presentation skills will be an important goal as you prepare for your Capstone in your junior year. You need to feel confident with your material, show that you have practiced your presentation and effectively use note cards. We will continue to have opportunities to practice these skills.

You were given a rubric for this project. Make sure to read the rubric carefully and ask questions to clarify any of the requirements. Also keep in mind that arrangement of material on a poster is important. A well organized poster allows the viewer to quickly grasp key information. Many times, students tend to put so much information on the poster that it is difficult to read.

Columbus Day Weekend

We have a long weekend as Monday we celebrate Columbus Day. This holiday has come under attack recently as some historians have questioned Columbus’ contribution. Did he really discover new lands or report back to Europeans about the existence of the islands in the Caribbean? Did he treat the indigenous people with respect, and if not why should we be honoring this man? At the same time, many use this holiday to honor all great explorers no matter when or where they went as they opened up new lands and established links between peoples who previously had not known of one another.

Religion and the World

CWI

This week we focused our efforts on understanding the elements of culture and especially the role of religion. You finished your bold to bold notes and used them to answer questions about culture (periods A, B and E). Many of you did a great job on this assignment, and that should clearly demonstrate that bold to bold notes are a useful strategy.

You also had the opportunity to work on a group presentation focused on the five major religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Using multiple sources (always a good idea for any project) you highlighted key information: where and when the religion started, its main beliefs, and the number of people who practice the religion. We quickly recognized that three of the major religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, have much in common: all three originated in Southwest Asia, are monotheistic, look upon Jerusalem as a holy city, believe in a holy book and practice alms giving, prayer, and fasting.

Your current event, due October 5, must have a link to religion. Martin Marty, editor of the religious series we used for this project, states in his foreword, “to be informed citizens of our world, readers have good reason to learn about these features of religion that mean so much to so many.”

Finally, you did a map on world religions. This is the first of many maps you will work on this year. We talked about what makes for a good map and this activity allowed you to practice those skills.

Sounds like a good time for a quiz on world religions.

A few housekeeping items that I want to pass on: first, you now have a text book…cover it and bring it to class every day. And, interterms are due on Wednesday and you must have your portfolio in the bin with an updated status of assignment sheet in order to meet standard.

Revisions

On some assignments you are allowed and encouraged to revise. This is an opportunity for you to have a second chance at the assignment and therefore to improve your grade. Thomas Jefferson revised the Declaration of Independence over 20 times so I figure revising can make us better writers. If you have been asked to revise, please return the revisions the next class day. If you are not going to revise, please write this on the assignment and return it to me for some credit. It is your responsibility to return revised work in a timely fashion.

World History

This week your first current event assignment was due. Many of you did a great job…selecting appropriate national and international articles, writing a clear summary and a comment paragraph that allowed you to practice your critical thinking skills. Your next current event is due October 6.

We also completed our primary source reading by Leonardo Bruni. He reminds us about the importance of history for those who want to better understand current problems. He also speaks about the great Orators of antiquity and how their choice of language can be a source of inspiration and increase our communication skills.

We used our text, a Reformation graphic organizer and a worksheet to better understand why the Catholic Church came under attack by Martin Luther and John Calvin. Our group work allowed us to pool information from a variety of sources and to share our thinking with our fellow students. Make sure when you do a worksheet to read the directions. On the vocabulary exercise, many of you simply wrote down definitions from the dictionary without explaining how the word linked to the Reformation period.

On Friday we watched a great PowerPoint on Henry VIII and his six wives. We followed this with an activity in the library where you had the chance to learn more about Elizabeth I by analyzing a series of paintings of the Queen. To wrap up your thinking about this uniquely successful ruler, you selected one of her quotes and wrote your observations and connections. This assignment has great appeal to many students as you have the opportunity to read, use art to better understand history and have choice in selecting the quote you want to write about. It is an assignment that allows you to think deeply and to make observations. I couldn’t help but wonder as I read over your many quotes if Secretary of State Clinton has read a biography of the Queen. Maybe we as a class could write her a letter, asking if she has read about the Queen or if she has another favorite book about a female leader.

Finally, the highlight of the week was the historical dialogues. While we did not finish delivering the dialogues, we could quickly see that our class has a good sense of history and humor. It is good to laugh. It is important to laugh.

Open House

It was great to see so many students and parents on September 30. Thank you for coming by.

Burns Race

Come on out on Sunday at 8:30 to MHS to participate in the Second Annual Tom Burns road race. It is a great way to celebrate a man who gave us so much. All the funds raised will be used for a scholarship for one of our Seniors. Call your friends, encourage your family members, urge your team mates to come out and run for Burns on Sunday!

Two for One

CWI

You have just finished your second current events assignment and should start to feel more confident on what is expected. Students who earn high grades in this class are the ones who consistently do the current events assignment and try to exceed the standard. You have the rubric and a list of helpful hints so you should be successful. If you have been asked to revise, take this opportunity and make the necessary improvements and return it the next class period.

You do not need a computer to do this assignment. Late work is not acceptable and since you have ample time to do the assignment excuses such as “I ran out of paper...or ink” will not excuse you from the assignment. Plan ahead....use the public library if you are short on supplies or lack internet access at home. You can do this assignment!

Your next current event is due October 5 (yes, this is during the NECAP testing week but it is still due that day). Your current event must have some link to one or more of the world’s religions. This coming week we will be talking about religions of the world and you will quickly see that many of our international conflicts are rooted in religion.

In addition to our current events from students, we also watched ABC News. We saw President Obama speaking before the United Nations and heard about the four main issues he was tackling: trying to restart peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis; helping reduce global warming; aiding Africa and avoiding a trade war with China. If you watch the evening news on a regular basis you will find the discussion in CWI much more meaningful.

This past week you also had your first announced quiz on the Five Themes of Geography. Most of you did a great job. The quiz was a mix of objective questions (only one correct answer) and open ended questions (a variety of responses are acceptable as long as you give evidence or reasons).

We also did an exercise on values...those beliefs that are especially important to you and to our country (periods A, B, and E). Keep these values in mind as you select your current events and write about the significance of the story.

We also had a geography worksheet activity that gave you the opportunity to get to know the text that we will be using. Hopefully our books will arrive shortly and you will be given a text. You discovered that the front of the book has a mini atlas of both physical and political maps. You also discovered that each unit has detailed maps of the regions we will be studying, and finally the index gives you a quick way to access locations that you may not be familiar with.

We ended the week with a note-taking strategy: bold to bold notes. This system of note taking focuses on the big ideas of each section and allows us to learn new vocabulary. We don’t want to get bogged down in details. Understanding the context will make it easier to see why certain facts are important. Next week we will continue our discussion of culture and focus on religions from around the world.

Finally, we set up our portfolios this week. Each student must keep a pocket folder of work in the class bin. Your folder must contain all of your graded work and the status of assignment sheet. This is our way of keeping organized and monitoring your grade.

World History

We have gone from the Greeks to the Muslims, the Italian Renaissance and now the European Renaissance in these first few weeks of class. We have been using our guided reading questions from the text, primary source readings and art to help us better understand this time period.

Last week you had your first book quiz on the Renaissance and many of you did a great job. You will get your quizzes back next week and we will set up our portfolios where you will keep all of your work organized. You will have a status of assignment sheet that lists all of the assignments and your grades. You can thus monitor your grade on a regular basis.

Next week you will some additional time to complete your primary source reading on the importance of history. We will be spending a great deal of time using primary sources as your graduation tasks are based on documents.

Your first current events assignment is due on September 28. You have a list of helpful hints and a rubric to help guide your work. This is a fun day as we get to share the different events and hold a class wide discussion on them.

PSAT’s

It is time to sign up for the PSATs. The test gives you exposure to what the SAT’s are like and also gives you the chance to earn scholarship money. In Saturday’s Providence Journal, there is an article naming the 59 Rhode Island students who are National Merit semifinalists, and two MHS students are on the list: Patrick Fogerty and Katelyn Shouse. Congratulations to Pat and Kate, and good luck to all who sign up for the PSATs!

Thomas Burns Race

It is that time of year when we show our school spirit and honor a great teacher, friend and couch in the Thomas Burns Memorial Race. The 5K walk/run is scheduled for October 4 and registration forms are available in the office.

Open House

Our annual open house is scheduled for September 30 from 6 to 8 pm. It is a great time to share with your parents and guardians what a day at MHS is like and to show them your portfolio. I hope to see you there with your family.

Welcome

Welcome back to a new school year and to our new blog for 2009. I know the first question you may have is why I named the blog MHSCOTW. I believe that all of us should start viewing ourselves as “Citizens of the World.” If we thought of ourselves as parts of a bigger community than Middletown, or Rhode Island, or even America itself, our world would benefit. I think this global thinking would lead to less strife and more cooperation. This idea truly hit home when my son graduated from an American university and was hired by a German bank that immediately sent him to London, then on to New York City, India and Tokyo. His story is not that unusual for recent college graduates as more businesses have an international presence.

The blog is a way for us to review what we worked on during the week and to provide additional information on a variety of topics through links. You will notice that the entries include highlighted words which are active links to other sites where you can read further about a particular topic. For reasons of time and space, the blog is not an all inclusive wrap-up of the week, and because five different classes will be using the blog, it cannot provide detailed information about homework.

I hope you enjoy reading the blog. Please feel free to offer recommendations.

Contemporary World Issues (CWI)

This week we spoke about how all of our lives are affected by other countries. Just by doing a quick check of your shoes, shirts and jackets you quickly realized that most items are made overseas. Our economic and political relationship with other countries helps determine what you can purchase and what type of work our own citizens are engaged in or not engaged in.

You have been given the current events assignment and rubric. We practiced finding articles about international issues and we spoke about writing the first paragraph to summarize key facts and the second paragraph to offer your own thoughts on the subject. Just as we discussed regarding President Obama’s speech to students, you may have to overcome obstacles to do this assignment. Maybe you don’t have a paper at home... maybe you don’t have a computer or printer... maybe you work on the weekends... these are all potential obstacles, but you can surmount them. Make sure to take advantage of the school library or the public library on West Main Road. You can use this assignment to start the school year off with great success! Your assignment is due Monday.

You will find that your understanding of the issues we discuss in class will be greatly enhanced by watching the news or reading a daily paper. Next week we are scheduled to start receiving UpFront, a magazine produced by The New York Times for high school students. This is a major investment on the part of the District and I know you will appreciate having this opportunity to read a world class publication. As good thinkers and policy makers, we will also be consulting other sources, such as The Wall Street Journal, the international press, and news web sites. If you have a favorite, please bring it in and we will add it to our list of resources.

Honors World History

This week we started by reading President Obama’s speech to students. You quickly identified the key ideas of working hard and being persistent.

We also talked about the major units of study for the year. After hearing your concerns about repeating some of the material you already covered at Gaudet, the Social Studies teachers will be making some changes to better align your interests and introduce new units of study. Your ideas were very helpful as we discussed these new units.

We will do a brief overview of the Greeks and you have your 3-2-1 assignment for Chapter 5 section 1. You want to look for the 3 big ideas, make 2 connections, and come up with 1 question. This is a good reading strategy you can use in any content area.

Supplies

Each student needs to have a 3 ring binder, a pocket folder, a small box of colored pencils and pens/pencils for daily use. Please be ready with your supplies next week as we all want to work on staying organized.

In Closing

We are fortunate to be members of the Middletown school community. We have a great school with wonderful students and a supportive faculty and administration. I know we are going to have a great year. Please do not hesitate to see me if there is anything I can do to help you have a fun, safe and productive year.

We Made It!

This week we said good bye and good luck to our Seniors. It is always great fun having a mix of students in the classroom as different ages bring different perspectives. Your point of view will change over time as you gain more experiences. The classroom is a safe place to practice developing your points of view and sharing them with fellow students. Don’t ever be afraid to speak your mind but always take the time to gather information and think about your point of view. Argue and debate out of knowledge.

We have had an exciting year as we travelled the globe via our current events and study of Contemporary World Issues. You will soon find out that the world is really very small...we can see and be in contact with people from all over the globe in a matter of seconds....we can fly to, buy from and sell to any part of the world...and our actions as individuals and a country affect all. You are truly COTW: Citizens of the World!

In addition to our international studies we have spent much time thinking and talking about the major domestic changes our country is experiencing. You participated in the mock election and have been eyewitnesses to a turning point in history with the election of President Obama. You were there when he was inaugurated and now you are watching his efforts to bring the American Dream to more of our citizens. This summer make sure to keep track of the Sotomayor nomination...she may be our first Hispanic Supreme Court judge and our third woman to serve on the highest court in the land.

Presidential Power Points

On Monday you will present your power point on one of the assigned presidents. This has been a great end of year project where you get to work with a group, locate key information and build an attractive and informative power point. I was impressed with your ability to organize information along with photos to make attractive slides. You also have a great talent for sharing emails or using Google documents to make this project more manageable. With the completion of this project, you will have a good sense of the key events during the last 30 years of our country’s history. So often history classes end at World War II and students are frustrated that modern events and issues are never discussed. We should take great pride that we did it...studied all of the presidents while keeping up with current events! Great job!

Study Guide

You have a study guide to help you review for the exam. I would also urge you to use your portfolio and of course to read over each blog entry. By reading the weekly entry, you will have a review of all the classes since our midterm exam. When doing the study guide, don’t use just the glossary for definitions as that does not put the event, person or term into context. By using the text to read about the events, you will get a better understanding of the reason why the term is on the study guide. Make sure to include the significance....why we need to know...for each term, person or event.

World History

You have a current event due on Tuesday and it must be about our study of Israel and the Palestinians. You have completed your packet so they will be collected on Tuesday. You have your study guide and you will have class time to work on it. You also have a description of the exam so you should be well prepared. We will update our status of assignment sheet on Wednesday and then you can take the folder home. The portfolio is a great way to review for the exam

Last Entry

So it is now time to say good-by and wish all of you a happy and safe summer. I want to thank my blog editor for keeping my thinking and writing clear, crisp and accurate. I want to thank my many readers for their comments which always led to a better entry. But most of all, I want to thank all of my students for a great year. Your interest, enthusiasm, and questioning have led us all to a better understanding of our world and how we can contribute to a better tomorrow.

Remembering and Reflecting

As our year draws to a close, the evening news seems to be providing a summary of many of the key events we have studied. On June 3, stories about the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square uprising reminded us of our January viewing of “Tank Man.” China has become a major player on the world stage and its economy is a power house, but the need for freedom and liberties for all is yet to be met. Today, June 6, we commemorate the landing of Allied forces on the beaches of Normandy. President Obama and other world leaders are meeting on those shores to recall the courage and determination of all who fought there to free the people of Europe. And finally, President Obama’s speech in Cairo to the Muslim world reiterated America’s commitment that all people should be able to live in peace if we take the time to listen, respect and communicate with one another.

I hope that some of you had the opportunity to view the NBC special this week on the Obama White House. The two evening event, which will be repeated and is on the web (see above link), took us behind the scenes to meet key staff people and witness the fast-paced days of planning and deciding. It was indeed a whirlwind. It brought back great memories as I recalled walking some of those halls and meeting in some of the rooms in the Executive wing.

CWI/Comparative/Modern America

This week we impeached President Clinton and saw President Nixon resign. Our study of the impeachment process allowed you to discover the reasons why President Nixon left office but was never impeached, while President Clinton was impeached but remained in office.

As part of our study of President Nixon you prepared a timeline of key events in his life and did a political cartoon analysis. We started watching “All the President’s Men,” which was made only two years after President Nixon’s resignation. It is a very accurate account of those two years that The Washington Post spent tracking down the money, the trail of dirty tricks, and the link to the Oval Office. This movie, in addition to following the political scandal, shows you the amount of work good investigative journalists must do to get the story. You can see why some writers say the press is the fourth branch of government. The press acts as the eyes and ears of the people and reports back to the voters what is actually happening. Newspapers, freedom of the press and access to information are all cornerstones of our democracy.

Seniors: you have been given a study guide for the final exam. The guide, as well as your text, is due back the day of the exam. You are welcome to hand in the guide and text early if you so choose. I would recommend that you also use your portfolio as a study guide and of course go back and read the blog entries from second semester as a review. I am also available before or after school (except Tuesdays...faculty meetings) for extra help. I have enjoyed having you in class this year and wish all of you the best in your future endeavors.

AP European History

You have been given your take home final. It is due on or before June 10 along with your text book. We will finish “Barry Lyndon” on Monday and would like to start the next movie so we could finish that movie on Tuesday.

World History

Your current event on Japan is due on Monday. Make sure to bring the packet with you to class. We will move on to our study of China and will again be using current events to help us better understand this large, complex and powerful country.

Another First

Once again this week, we have witnessed a first: the nomination of a Hispanic candidate to sit on the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor. As we saw when we reviewed the Constitution’s provisions for replacing a Supreme Court Justice, her nomination now goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee where she will be asked (some would say grilled) about her past judicial decisions and how she might look at future cases. Once the Committee makes its recommendation, the full Senate will vote on her confirmation, which is expected to take place in July. If she is confirmed, she will be sworn in during the opening of the new court session in October. While the Supreme Court may seem like a very distant group of judges that have little impact on your life, it is quite the opposite. The court is active in many areas that affect our daily lives: freedom of speech, minority rights, search and seizure issues, and privacy rights. There are so many cases that arise from high school situations that a book has been compiled on those cases entitled “We the Students.”

CWI/Comparative Government

While we finished our study of JFK last week, our announced quiz was delayed due to field trips, concerts and proms. You had over a week to prepare for the book quiz, but many will have to do a retake. It is hard to stay focused on the work at hand when the sun is shinning and there are so many end of year activities, but stay focused we must! The book quizzes follow the same format so when you know one is coming you should know how to prepare: read the section summary, review the key terms, go over the section review. If you take 15 minutes to do this, you should earn a good grade on the quiz.

We also looked at a series of photos from 1968, the only single year to which your text devotes an entire section. A series of tragic events had a searing impact on any who lived during that time: the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, urban rioting after each killing, and the violence at the Democratic Convention in Chicago. All of these events led up to the election of Richard Nixon, the man who had lost to John F. Kennedy in 1960 by only 120,000 votes.

You worked with a partner this week on the Nixon timeline. After selecting the key events, you needed to write two sentences on why you chose those events and why they are significant. While no two timelines will be the same, some events should appear on everyone’s list: the election in 1968, the first Presidential visit to China and the first to the Soviet Union in peacetime, and finally the first time a President was forced to resign.

By doing the timeline and watching the short video on Nixon, I hope you appreciate that he was a complicated man and while he had many weaknesses he also had great strengths, especially in the field of foreign policy. We will also be comparing Nixon’s resignation and Clinton’s impeachment. People often think Nixon was impeached. He was not, but he still had to leave office. Clinton WAS impeached, but he stayed in office...how can this be? To better understand the Watergate era, I would like to show “All the President’s Men,” an award winning movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford. It is an R rated movie so permission slips will go out next week that must be signed by a parent/guardian so you may watch the movie.

Some of you have received the Nixon cartoon assignment. You will be looking for an editorial cartoon from the Nixon presidency. You may do it on Watergate or some other event during his administration. You will be using the cartoon analysis sheet that you used for the Cold War era cartoon and then writing your two paragraphs. This assignment is in lieu of our current events this week.

Congratulations to CF for answering last week’s extra credit question. Meeting a president, shaking his hand and getting a photo is an experience never to be forgotten. I hope you have that opportunity.

AP European History

Just a reminder that your movie reviews are due June 1.

It is essential that you spend the time researching the event your movie is based on so you can brief us on the accuracy of the depiction. As we saw in the movie “Elizabeth,” which is great drama, much of the plot was fabricated to make the film more appealing to the public and sell more tickets.

Your take home final will be given out this week. You will have a choice of two questions based on trends we have followed in European history and how they may shape the future. You will not have to be in school the day of the final if you have turned in your essay. You must also return your books (I know it will be traumatic to give up this tome of wisdom and knowledge).

World History

Many of you did a great job on your map quiz. Geography and location of countries has a great impact on our understanding of historical events. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to travel, and what I have seen has deepened my understanding of both history and current events. The prevalence of conflict in the Balkans over the centuries is easily understood when you see how the peninsula is divided into countless small communities by its mountainous terrain. The military disasters Napoleon and Hitler suffered when they invaded Russia seem almost inevitable when you witness the vast expanses of forests that still separate western Europe from Moscow. If you have the chance to travel, grab it...it is so enlighetening to see and meet other people in their home territories. The world is getting smaller and we must know and understand other people and cultures if we are going to learn to live in peace.

You have a current event and the obituary for the Soviet Union due this week. If you have trouble with the obituary assignment, take a few minutes to look one up on the New York Times web site. They are especially good at summarizing the lives of prominent people and will help guide you in writing about the demise of the USSR. Who were the founders of the Soviet Union? What were its major accomplishments, and what fatal weaknesses caused its downfall? We will continue to work on our packets this week. You have a list of most of the assignments covering the remainder of the school year.

Busy Schedules: Students and Presidents

This week we had several competing demands: class work, NECAP testing, field trips and of course the Junior Prom. I hope all who attended had a wonderful and safe time and I look forward to seeing the photos on Tuesday.

On Monday we celebrate Memorial Day. This holiday originally commemorated those who lost their lives in the Civil War, but over time it has become a day to remember all who have died in service to our country, as well as our own loved ones. Many families take this opportunity to visit cemeteries to recognize those who have gone before us. You can learn a great deal about history at cemeteries as you read the markers and note the dates. One of my favorite cemeteries is the grave yard next to Saint Columba’s Chapel on Indian Avenue. The markers tell of astounding accomplishments but also of simple lives filled with love and care for all.

CWI/Comparative Government

This week we finished our review of the Women’s Movement with an accountable talk discussion focused on two women who had contrasting views: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Phyllis Schlafly This week you also handed in your interview with someone who may have had experienced discrimination. Many of you selected interesting people whose life experiences can help us better understand the quest for equality. Equality is a driving force in America, as groups who may initially be looked down upon seek the same rights as other citizens.

We also read about the youngest man ever to be elected president, John F. Kennedy. We spent time on the JFK library web site, where you did an activity focused on the daily schedule of the president. You also reviewed the White House photographer’s gallery to select a photo that illustrated the phrase from the inaugural address, “The torch has been passed to a new generation.” After reading the Kennedy schedule you had the opportunity to play Chief of Staff to President Obama and plan a day for our new president. The president’s time is very limited and there are many competing demands, so careful scheduling of events to support the administration’s priorities is essential to good and effective governing. After planning the day for President Obama, you selected the photo that you wanted circulated that would support the President’s priorities. You can see by this assignment that much of what the public sees as spontaneous is carefully orchestrated. I want to especially commend the student who scheduled the President to come to MHS to award us a $5 million grant and take me out to dinner - it will be an evening I will never forget! For extra credit, see if you can name the president I had my picture taken with. (You will lose credit if I hear any suggestions of Washington or Lincoln!)

We concluded our study of JFK by reading an excerpt from William Manchester’s best seller “Death of a President.” We watched a side show on the assassination and talked about how this event had a searing impact on the country. This event was just the start of a tumultuous decade.

Reminder...quiz on JFK on May 28...be prepared!

AP European History

“Lives of Others” has been spellbinding and we will finish the movie on Tuesday. Please have all of your movie review ready to hand in this week. We should be able to start our next movie on Tuesday as well. This 50 point activity will be part of your fourth quarter grade.

World History

You did a nice job on your power point presentations on World War II. You have attractive slides and interesting information. Make sure you use note cards with additional information so you can add to what appears on the slide. You don’t want to get caught just reading slides as that makes for a tedious presentation. Also make sure to delve deeply into your topic... try to anticipate questions your slides might prompt others to ask... don’t just be satisfied with surface information.

You handed in your WW II packets on Friday but I returned the map so you can study for our upcoming quiz. I will give you a map of Europe with certain countries numbered and you will have to identify them by name. You do not need to know the capitals for this quiz... maybe we need a second quiz focused on key cities.