Reflect and Learn

 

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, and our own loved ones.  Many families take this opportunity to visit cemeteries to honor those who have gone before.  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 graveyard next to Saint Columba’s Chapel on Indian Avenue.  The markers tell of astounding accomplishments, tragic losses, and simple lives filled with love and care. 

 

Modern America

 As we approach the end of the year, we have focused on group activities that help us better understand the tides of change in America since 1960.  Working in groups allows everyone to have better access to the information as long as everyone does their share.  Psychologists and people who study how we learn encourage teachers to use more group activities.  To get the most out of working together you need to have a plan and focus on understanding and discussing the material together, as opposed to copying someone else’s notes. 

 

Our Presidential power point project is a perfect example of group work.  The first step in the project was having a work plan…who was going to do what and how would you communicate.

After you presented your project, you filled out a self-evaluation sheet.  This gave you the opportunity to think about your contribution and to rate your group.  The question as to who in your group should receive extra credit can be especially revealing as to how the project progressed. 

 

We also spent one day on the Women’s Movement.  We read an excerpt from Gail Collins’s book “When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present.”  We compared and contrasted what life was like for women prior to 1960 and how quickly it has changed for many.  But while opportunity for women has dramatically improved, a significant wage gap still exists.  In today’s economy, for similar jobs a woman makes 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. I gave you an example of how this wage gap hit me while working in Washington DC, but it was rectified once my complaint was investigated. We also used music to better understand the times by comparing Burt Bacharach’s “Wives and Lovers” with “I Am Woman,” written and sung by Helen Reddy.

 

You have a worksheet on the Women’s Movement and you will have a quiz on this material.   Make sure you know key people and terms (ERA, feminism, Phyllis Schlafly, and GloriaSteinem) as well as why the movement occurred, goals of the movement and why not every woman agreed with the movement.

 

HippoCampus

 

To get ready for finals, you will have a study guide, your folders with past work, the trusty blog and now a great web site that summarizes key units in American History: HippoCampus.  By clicking on the American History tab, you can scroll down to the unit you want to review.  You have the option of reading a summary or viewing a brief video.  While it is not a perfect substitute for having your own text, it will be a very useful supplement to your other materials.

 

Seniors

 

On Friday you received the study guide for the final exam.  You may turn in the guide the day of the exam and earn extra credit on your exam grade.  If you received a textbook, please make sure to return it the day of the exam.  As you may know, we are short of books and we are anxious to collect every book - and I know you don’t want to receive a bill!

 

World History

 

This week we focused on winning World War II using a map of the battles waged in the Pacific and a primary source reading on how those battles affected our soldiers.  We also did a T chart listing reasons why the atomic bomb was used and reasons some people opposed it.  While historians continue to debate the necessity of dropping the bomb, the man who ultimately decided, President Truman, said it was the only responsible decision that could have been made.  The President wanted to end the war as quickly as possible and save the lives of American soldiers.  I feel fortunate to have been to Japan and viewed the World II museums in Tokyo and Hiroshima to get a better understanding of the attitude of the Japanese.  It is clear their society still faces conflicts in interpreting why they went to war.

 

We also worked with a group on the costs of war.  We looked at the loss of life, destruction of property, collapse of economies and the shift in world power.  At the end of the war, the United States and Russia emerged as super powers and we will see that their shadow will fall heavily on Europe as it tries to recover.

 

In lieu of a unit test on World War II you are working with a partner on your power point project.  You have had three days in the computer lab and you have a rubric.  Your finished product needs to be emailed to me at asullivan@mpsri.net by Wednesday afternoon.  I will put all the projects in a folder and we will present on Thursday.  You are encouraged to use note cards as you should not read off the slides.  Your comments should supplement, not repeat, what is on the slide.  We are stressing visuals as this is a power point project and not an essay.  This is great practice for your capstone project.