Our second to last presenter gave their final presentation on Abraham Lincoln.  Another great report!

We finished the rest of class watching a Kids History video on the Causes of the Civil War.  It was a great way to pull together all the information we have been learning over the past couple of chapters as it relates to the division of the nation and the Civil War. 

I am not naïve enough to believe that I will be able to teach anything too important during the last hour of the last day of school!  Therefore, on Monday we will watch a movie and say our summer good byes!

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Assignment:
*Complete your final project if you have not already done so

*Enjoy your weekend!!

We started our class again today by listening to another final project presentation.  This time we learned about Clara Barton and her work with the Red Cross!!

We then moved on to finish working on our Civil War fact search with the help of several more library books.  Groups then had an opportunity to share what they had learned during their research!  They did a great job!

Wednesday we will watch a History Channel: Kids Edition video about the causes of the Civil War. If time allows we may rewind a bit and look more at some other important historical figures including more on Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.

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Assignment:
*Complete your final project, if you have not already done so

*Enjoy your Tuesday!

We started the class by listening to three more of the students' final project presentations.  These students taught us more about Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and James Buchanan. I was so very impressed with their work!

We then moved on to discuss the final surrender of the Confederate forces at Appomattox Court House, Virginia - essentially ending the war.  We also learned that Appomattox Court House is not actually a court house, but is a town/village.  We discussed how this particular surrender of rebel forces following a revolution (which is technically what the war was), was so highly unusual.  We then watched a video on the surrender of General Robert E. Lee to General Ulysses S. Grant.  Finally, we divided into groups and used library books to search for new facts about the Civil War that we didn't already know.  We will finish with this activity on Monday.  We will also watch a video about the aftermath of Lincoln's death and the period of history known as "Reconstruction" (which is not covered in the textbook, but important to understanding US History as a whole).

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Assignment:

*For those students who have completed their project and presentation...have a great weekend!!

*For those 3 students who have not yet completed their project and presentation, please be working on these this weekend.  The last day to complete your assignment is Monday, May 20th!

 

After listening to our first two final project presentations, we reviewed the section on the Emancipation Proclamation.  We had to reread this section together as a class as none of the students seemed to remember reading it over the weekend!  Yikes!!  However, I think everyone has a good grasp of this concept now.  We moved on to discuss the use of ironclad ships during the Civil War and several of the new inventions that came about as a way to help soldiers on both sides of the fight.  Wednesday we will finish the textbook as we look at how the Civil War ended!!  Anyone wishing to do their final project presentation on Wednesday is welcome to do so!! If time allows, we will also plan to divide into groups and look through library books about the Civil War to pick out interesting facts not already in our textbook.  

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Assignment: 

Read pages 266-268

Complete "Peace" worksheet

Work on your final project

 

Today we discussed both the advantages and disadvantages that the north and the south possessed during the Civil War.  I did ask the students to underline several important sentences in their textbooks today.  A few of the students indicated that they are not allowed to write in their books; therefore, I asked them to just VERY lightly underline the sentences in pencil so that it can be easily erased once their homework assignment has been completed.  If your student came home with a few pencil marks in their textbook, that is my fault.

We are choosing to fast forward over the parts of the chapter that discussed the different war generals and battle plans.  We did watch a 7 1/2 minute video that discussed 150 of the most significant Civil War battles.  The guy was talking REALLY fast!! :) We will likely complete the chapter next Wednesday.  We will spend the remaining days of the year listening to final project presentations and reviewing.   

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Assignment:

*Worksheet "North Against South" (answers for this worksheet can be found either in the underlined sentences in the text on pages 245-246 or in the summary located at the top of the worksheet). 

*Read pages 254-257

*Complete "Emancipation Proclamation " worksheet

Thank you to Mrs. Kong for filling in for me today as a vicious migraine that I couldn't shake set in after a mix of allergies, weather changes, and a non-stop weekend.  I have every plan and intension to be back on Wednesday to continue the chapter on the Civil War.  Today the students started Chapter 10 on the Civil War beginning with the formation of The Confederate States of America.  We will discuss the advantages of both the north and the south when we meet together on Wednesday. 

Today, the students also came home with their final project assignment. You all know your student better than anyone and, therefore, you and your student will choose how long to make their historical figure summary.  If your student needs to write one paragraph that is 2-4 sentences long, that is fine!  If your student is able to write a two-paragraph summary that is 8-10 sentences each, then that's fine too!  I just want to reinforce the reading and summary work that we have been doing in class this year and for the students to learn a little bit more about some of the people we have been discussing.

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Assignment:

*Worksheet on Secession

*Begin working on the final project

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Today was our Chapter 9 test review.  We played a game of Baseball Review.  Teams answered review questions to advance around the bases.  After completing the game, I quizzed each student on all the test questions!  They did great and several of the students were even able to complete their test before the end of class.  For those who did not complete their test before the end of class, the test is due on Monday, 4/29.

We will begin Chapter 10 on Monday.  I'll be honest, I'm not very happy with the content of Chapter 10.  The chapter covers information I learned as a senior in college when I took an advanced Civil War history class.  While it is a very simplified version, I don't necessarily find it appealing to the 1st-3rd grade audience!  I will be amending the chapter a bit and we will NOT have a Chapter 10 test!  We should finish the book around the 15th of May.  We will have some time to review and maybe even watch a movie before the end of school!!

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Assignment:

*Complete Test #9 (Due Monday, 4/29)

 

We finished Chapter 9 today!!  Only one chapter to go before the end of school!  Today we discussed the Election of 1860 and the secession of 7 southern states from the Union.  We then watched a video about the life of Abraham Lincoln - from his birth in Kentucky to his death just days after the end of the Civil War.  On Wednesday we will spend the class period reviewing for the Chapter 9 test which will come home for the weekend.  It is due on Monday, 4/29.

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Assignment:

*Chapter Review worksheets (2 pages)

 

 

We started with a review of the life of slaves in the South before discussing the different views of slavery throughout the country including those of Abraham Lincoln (who will come to play a very important part in United States history!!).  We then watched a short video reenactment of the real-life account of a slave, Catherine Cornelius, living in Louisiana during the Civil War.  The students seemed to really like the story!  We had a bit of time and moved on to the final section of Chapter 9!  We were able to make it half-way through the section as we discussed the election of 1856 and the life of Abraham Lincoln.  On Monday we will finish up the chapter and begin our test review.  

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Assignment:

*Read pages 234-239

*Two worksheets due Monday

 

Today we discussed the different views of slavery held by northerners, southerners, and Black Americans.  We then looked a little bit more about the life of a slave in the 1850's.  We had a lot of information to cover today, so we were not able to do any games or watch any videos, but we will plan to do something fun on Wednesday to reinforce what we have been talking about. 

We did listen to a couple of different versions of the song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" as we discussed the life of slaves and their spiritual songs.

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Assignment:

*Read pages 228-233 (We read pages 228-231 in class, but please review this information as it is important).

*Worksheet "Slave Life"

We spent the first few minutes of the class reviewing the Underground Railroad before watching a short video about the Underground Railroad (as promised from class on Monday).  We then looked at the different opinions amongst politicians about slavery and how this spilled over into violence in territories such as Kansas (i.e. "Bleeding Kansas").  We ended with a discussion of the Dred Scott Supreme Court verdict that served to further divide a nation that was already on the brink of complete civil war (which does end up happening just a few short years later).  After discussing this, the class watched two short videos on "Bleeding Kansas" and "Dred Scott v Sanford."  These are very difficult concepts and I thought a visual representation (as well as the students getting an opportunity to hear someone besides me talking) might help bring these concepts home for the students.

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Assignment:
Read pages 224-227

"Point of View" worksheet (I did not like the worksheet that the curriculum authors provided for this lesson.  I felt it was too confusing.  Therefore, I made my own.  I hope that it is a bit more self-explanatory and better reinforces the concepts addressed in the lesson.  I told the students that the questions were taken directly from the book, so if they read, or listen, carefully they should have no problem completing the assignment!).

 

After reviewing the Compromise of 1850, we began our discussion of the Underground Railroad.  We talked about some of the extreme ways that slaves used to attempt an escape to freedom, including mailing themselves in boxes to free states. 

On Wednesday we will look more closely at the great divide happening between free and slave states and how certain court decisions and legislation made these matters worse.  

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Assignment:

Read pages 216-223

Worksheet pages 115 and 117

 

The students started Chapter 9 and discussed the Compromise of 1850.  Monday we will look at the Underground Railroad.

Have a great weekend!

 

Assignment:

Compromise of 1850 worksheet

 

Today was our review for the chapter test.  We played a modified version of "Around the World" as teams worked to see who could answer more questions from the test.  I did find that the students were struggling with a few of the chapter terms (like pioneer and Manifest Destiny).  

The chapter test came home today and will be due on Wednesday.  Please feel free to review the terms, important people, and concepts from the test with your student prior to giving them the test. I want them to have a chance to do well.  To me it is more important the students learn the material and remember it.  I am less concerned about them being able to regurgitate information on a test!!

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Assignment:
Chapter 8 Test (due Wednesday, 4/3)

We finished the chapter today!!  We finished up with a discussion of how the Mexican-American War ended and then moved on to talk about the California Gold Rush.  We talked about how the merchants were the biggest winners in the rush and how the Gold Rush really changed the history of California and the United States as a whole.  We watched a video on the Gold Rush and even talked about how California was able to "get away" with so many things because of how far away they were from Washington D.C. and any federal government regulation (For example, it was faster to sail from California to China than it was to get a correspondence from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco, CA).  Wow!!

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Monday we will review for the test which will come home on Monday (due Wednesday, 4/3).

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Assignment:

Worksheet on California

Chapter Review Part 1

The students worked really hard today and I was so proud of them!!  We reviewed the sections on Presidents Harrison, Tyler, and Polk.  We went on to discuss the concepts of Manifest Destiny, the Compromise of the 49th Parallel, Texas becoming part of the United States, and the Mexican-American War!  Whew!!

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Then we finished up class by watching a 10 minute video about the real life journey of a family from St. Joseph, MO across the Oregon Trail.  It was a bit of a sad story, but it had a happy ending when the children were adopted by frontier missionaries.  I hope this really helped the students understand the perils of the cross-country journey that they discussed last Wednesday with Mrs. Kong.

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Last Wednesday your student should have come home with a progress report for the first half of the Spring semester.  If you have not seen one for your student, please check their backpack.  If you still do not see one, please let me know and I will send another one home!

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Assignment:

Read pages 207-211

Review worksheet

 

A huge thank you to Mrs. Kong who came to the rescue to cover the class when I needed to leave due to illness.  The class discussed the section on wagon trains to the west and then played a game of Oregon Trail.  Mrs. Kong told me that one student named the game "A Serious of Unfortunate Events."  Families going west on wagon trains really were taking a perilous journey that could very much be filled with a serious of unfortunate events!

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Assignment:
Missionary Worksheet

Read 196-204

It was really great to have everyone back together again after Spring Break!!  We started right into Chapter 8.  Today we discussed Texas' fight for independence from Mexico.  Everyone was very attentive and we were able to talk about of lot of information including The Alamo and famous Alamo fighters like Davy Crockett.  We discussed how the Texas fighters may have lost the battle (Battle of Alamo), but they eventually won the war!

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Wednesday we will discuss the section on Western migration (wagon trains).  Once we finish the chapter section, we will play a little game of Oregon Trail.  The two wagon train leaders were picked today and we will take off on the perilous journey from St. Joseph, MO to Oregon on Wednesday!

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Assignment:

*Read pages 191-194 (please read this thoroughly so that we can discuss it, without having to read it first, so we have plenty of time to play our educational game)

*Worksheet on the Alamo

It’s always hard for everyone to concentrate the day before a school break.  We started class with a little bit of Simon Says, just to get the wiggles out.  The students then played a review game with vocabulary words from Chapters 5-7.  It was a game of “Vocabulary Hangman.”  I then spent a few minutes reviewing the concepts that will be discussed in Chapter 8 and talking a little bit about how the political climate was changing during this period of time leading up to the Civil War.

Students turned in their Chapter 7 tests.  I will return them after Spring Break!

 

Assignment:

Have a wonderful, fun, and restful Spring Break!!

Today we spent the class period studying for the Chapter 7 test!  To make it fun, we played a game of Chapter 7 Bingo.  We played about 8-9 rounds using the same vocabulary words.  Students were given a question and they had to identify the term being defined and mark it on their Bingo sheet.  While it got off to a rough start, I think the students really had fun.  Some of the students will be bringing home their Bingo card(s).  Feel free to review these terms and their definitions with your student before they take the test.  The terms on the Bingo card came DIRECTLY from the test!!

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I will do a brief introduction and overview of Chapter 8 on Wednesday.  We will not really start the chapter in earnest as I do not think it would be beneficial for the students to start a brand-new chapter and then take a week off school for Spring Break.  We will plan to dive headlong into Chapter 8 on the Monday following Spring Break.

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Assignment:

Chapter 7 Test (due 3/6)

I was so glad to see that everyone made it safely to school today!

After looking further at the Chapter 7 test, I decided to hold off on the test until next week.  I will plan to send the test home on Monday after we spend the class period doing an extensive review of the chapter.  We did spend some time today reviewing at the end of the class period.  Before we reviewed, we just took a step back and discussed how an item as simple as a quilt was such an important thing for the people of the mid-1800’s.  We then designed our own paper quilt square and then put all of our squares together to make a class quilt. 

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Assignment (Due March 4th):
*Complete the Chapter Review worksheets (3 pages total with one a front/back page)

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*Have your student go back through the chapter and find all the highlighted words.  Review these vocabulary words/concepts and their definitions.  This will help the students tremendously on their test!!!

It was so nice to see everyone again after the weather-induced extended break.  We finished Chapter 7 today!!  Yay!  Before finishing the last few sections of the chapter, we reviewed the information from a few weeks ago on immigrants and communication improvements.  We reviewed the definition of an immigrant, discussed how immigrants were treated in the mid-1800’s, and talked more about how immigrants are treated today.  We also reviewed the use of the telegraph and the postal service as means of communication during the time period and how that differs from our current communication methods (texting, email, Facebook, Skype, etc., etc., etc.).  We then discussed some of the reform movements of the time, particularly the temperance movement, and finished with a discussion of how new inventions and technology can have both good and bad results.  We had some really great discussions today!!

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Wednesday we will review for the test.  If the review goes well, I will plan to send the Chapter 7 test home on Wednesday to be completed for next Monday.  If I find that some additional review time is needed, I will move the test back until next week.

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Assignment:
Population Density Worksheet (due 2/27) –  *NOTE: A very observant student pointed out that the worksheet would be difficult to do as it was printed in black and white, but requires the student to look at different colors in order to complete the information.  Where was that student when I was printing the worksheets this weekend!?!?!  LOL!  Attached at the side, you will find a color version of the worksheet.  If you would like to print this color version for your student to use, that is fine.  However, please do NOT feel that you have to print it.  You can just reference it for the purpose of identifying the correct color that represents population density and write the answers on the black and white version provided.

A huge thank you goes out to Mrs. Kong for substituting today while I was home sick.  Today the students moved on to parts 4-5 of Chapter 7 including discussion of immigration and new ways to communicate (i.e. the postal service and Morse code).  We will pick up with parts 6-7 of the chapter during our next meeting.

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Assignment:

Review pages 173-179

Complete the study guide worksheet

It was good to have everyone back together safely.   We got right to work discussing parts 2 and 3 of Chapter 7.  We discussed the difference between cities and farms both in the north and south.  We also looked at the new inventions that were being distributed at record rates during the 1830's.  We specifically discussed patents and how this helped inventors.

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Assignment:

Farm vs Cities Worksheet (Due 2/13)

Steamboats and Trains Worksheet (Due 2/13)

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**Some students said they did not know about the extra credit that was offered over the weekend.  I am happy to extend this to Wednesday for anyone that would like complete the assignment for 5 extra credit points.  Here is a copy of the assignment:

Extra Credit (5 points): Have your student draw, color, or paint a full-page advertisement that they would use to market their business if they were a railroad or steamboat owner around the years 1830-1860.

Include on the advertisement:  What does their train or steamboat look like? (Draw a picture)  How much does it cost to transport goods on their train/steamboat? Where does it travel? How much does it cost for a passenger to ride?  What sets this train/steamboat apart from the others?  Use your imagination!!!

 

Today was a bit of an unusual day.  There were not enough students during 6th period to have class (and I totally understand...the roads were deteriorating very quickly). Therefore, there really isn't any homework. 

If you have not already read pages 161-169, please do so by Monday.  Please also feel free to read the next section beginning on page 170.

 

Extra Credit (10 points): If you are in need of some fun winter weather activities, have your student draw, color, or paint a full-page advertisement that they would use to market their business if they were a railroad or steamboat owner around the years 1830-1860.

Include on the advertisement:  What does their train or steamboat look like? (Draw a picture)  How much does it cost to transport goods on their train/steamboat? Where does it travel? How much does it cost for a passenger to ride?  What sets this train/steamboat apart from the others?  Use your imagination!!!

We started Chapter 7 today!  In the first part of the chapter, the current political climate of the 1830's is taking a backseat to all the tremendous growth in the nation.  During this time America expanded its land, its population, and its wealth!  Our discussion in class today also introduced the concept of supply and demand and the idea of high supply + low demand = cheap pricing vs. low supply + high demand = expensive pricing.  This is a very difficult concept that we will continue to explore throughout the chapter.  We did take some time to do an activity where students pretended to sell/produce an item.  We discussed competition with other similar producers and how this impacts product pricing and contributes to the growth or decline of business.  Whew!  Big concepts today!

On Wednesday, students will try to see what it would be like to be a steamboat or railroad tycoon.

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Assignment:
Read pages 161-169 (students promised they would read diligently and would be ready to discuss these pages in class since they did not have any worksheets to complete! Wink!)

Today was review day!  We spent the class period answering review questions from the Chapter 6 test.  The majority of the questions asked during the review game came directly from the test. I did throw a few in there just to see how much the students remember about overarching concepts, but for the most part the questions were from the test.  

The Chapter 6 test was sent home today (with the exception of two students whose tests were not printed correctly - I have notified these parents via email with an electronic version of the test.  My apologies!!).

*Just as a reminder - the test is not an open-book test.  However, please feel free to review with your student for as long as necessary in order for them to feel comfortable with the material.

On Monday we will begin chapter 7!

As always, if you have any questions, please let me know. Have a wonderful, warm weekend!

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Assignment:

Chapter 6 Test (due February 4th)

 

Today we finished Chapter 6!  It took us awhile to get through the last few sections of the chapter, but we made it!!  The students were patient and stuck with me until we finished. 

Since we had just been talking about the idea of petitions, the class divided into groups and made their own petitions to the class leaders (myself and the teacher's assistant).  Each group had a chance to present their idea to the class and then those students who agreed with the petition could sign their support.  I think it was a fun way to better understand how the petitioning process works.  Plus, who wouldn't want to petition their leaders for video game privileges in class!?!?!

We will review for the Chapter 6 test on Wednesday.  The test will be sent home Wednesday and will be due Monday, February 4th.

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Assignment:
Chapter Review (parts 2-3)

Today we took a little break from our discussion of politics in the late 1820's and spent the class period making sure that everyone was feeling comfortable with the geography portion of our curriculum.  Several parents and faculty members were generous enough to lend us their globes and we had enough globes for students to divide into groups of two to review/discuss such concepts as the North Pole, South Pole, Equator, Prime Meridian, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, Eastern Hemisphere, and Western Hemisphere.  We even challenged ourselves to think about the globe in terms of northeastern, southwestern, northwestern, or southeastern hemispheres!!  

This activity took all but a few minutes of the class period, so we will pick up with more politics in the 1820s when we return from the MLK, Jr. break.

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Most of the students can identify the terms above and can locate them on a globe.  However, please continue to review these concepts with your student at home using a globe or a flat world map.  For the upcoming Chapter 6 test they will need to be able to identify the equator, prime meridian, north pole, south pole, and all four hemispheres.  Extra review will be very helpful!!

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Assignment:
*If your student did not complete the globe worksheet in class with their partner, they will need to complete it and return it next Wednesday the 23rd (I believe there were only two students who did not finish it and turn it into me before class ended.  If you don't see one in your student's folder, then don't worry!!).  A globe is not needed for the activity.  The information needed to answer the questions can be found in the diagrams on the worksheet.

*Complete the Study Guide worksheet- due 1/23

*Read pages 152-159.

I thought that since we have been spending so much time discussing presidential elections and the election process, it was only appropriate that we have our own election.  Two class presidential candidates were chosen.  Each candidate was assigned a campaign team.  The team designed campaign signs, established their reasons for running, and why they were qualified for the job.  After spending time working on their campaign, each candidate was given time to discuss their campaign promises and what makes them qualified for the position.  Students then voted (popular election) .  After tabulating the results, the Electoral College (our class Teacher's Assistant) cast his representative vote in support of the candidate with the most votes. 

We even had time to go through 1 1/2 lessons in the book.  We discussed the beginning of foreign missions as we know it and failed treaties with the Indians.  

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Assignment:

Read pages 145-151
Worksheet on missions - Due 1/16

Worksheet on treaties (This worksheet has a map that the student must use to answer questions.  The black and white worksheet copy makes this difficult, but the map on the worksheet is an exact replicate of the map on page 149 in the textbook.  Students can reference this map in the book to complete the worksheet questions.)  - Due 1/16

We returned quickly to business as usual today!  We dove right into the Election of 1828 as well as the benefits/drawbacks of democracy in relationship to Christianity.  We have started a new format for covering material in class.  Instead of using a PowerPoint outline of the information, we have been reading the sections outload as a class and discussing the information.  It has been largely successful.  There has been a lot of participation and discussion.  Ask your student how Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams differed in their opinion on who should hold government jobs/positions.  Also ask your student about what Andrew Jackson believed about how long a person should have a government job and why.

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Assignment:

Review Chapter 6; Sections 2-3 (pages 137-144)

Complete Study Guide worksheet - due Monday, 1/14

It was so great to have everyone back.  We took some time at the beginning of class to talk about our Christmas Break.  We also reviewed the rules for the classroom and, most importantly, started Chapter 6!  I was so impressed with how much they remembered from last semester.  We started off a bit slow and just completed one lesson on the Election of 1824.  Ask your student how the Election of 1824 was different than any of the previous elections...

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Assignment:

Review pages 132-136 (we read it in class, but it would not hurt to review it)

Complete the worksheet on the Election of 1824 - due Wednesday, 1/9

Today was celebration day!  We celebrated the end of a great semester with a movie (in one of the classrooms with a large screen TV) and candy canes!

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Assignment:

Have a marvelous and blessed Christmas season!  See you in January!

Today was review day!  We spent some time working on a review sheet.  Once again, the review questions on this review sheet was taken directly from the test.  A great way to study would be to have your student review the information on the review sheet.  If they are comfortable with the review material, they will be ready for the test.

 

Assignment:

Chapter 5 Test is due Wednesday 12/12

We have completed Chapter 5!  After the chapter test has been completed, we will officially have made it to the midway point in the book.  This is just in time for the semester break!

Monday we will spend the class period reviewing for the test.   The test will come home on Monday and will be due back on Wednesday, 12/12.

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Assignment:

Read pages 124-131

Worksheets due Monday, 12/10

Have a great weekend!!

It was so nice to see many of you again tonight.  I apologize if I missed anyone.  It is sometimes a bit of a challenge to be both a teacher and a parent on nights like tonight.  I wanted to make sure to see what my own kiddos have been working on, but I wanted to be available to you all as well.  If I missed you, again I apologize.  If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

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I just have to tell you how proud of I am of the students today in Social Studies.  I mean, I get it.  Many of the students have been at school since 8:00am and by the time they come to me at 2:50, they are tired, restless, and just wanting to go home.  Then I ask them to sit still and listen to a bunch of information on people who have been deceased for almost 200 years.  They almost always do a great job with this, but they were rock stars today.  We covered some really important information today including a review of the Presidents, the Monroe Doctrine, the Missouri Compromise, and the developing problems between the North and South (setting the nation up for the Civil War in about another 40-45 years).  The students were so great, we even had time to end the class with a review game of North vs. South.  The North won, but only by winning the tie-breaking lighting round.

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My plan at this point in time is to finish Chapter 5 on Wednesday.  We will review on Monday, 12/10.  The Chapter 5 test will come home Monday, 12/10 and will be due on Wednesday, 12/12.  We will spend that last day of first semester (12/12) watching a video and playing review games.  We will be officially half way through the book at that point and will be ready to pick up with the second half come the first day of second semester in January!!

 

Assignment:

Read 119-123

Worksheets: "Latitude" and "North vs. South"

The War of 1812 is now over and James Madison has introduced The American System to Congress to improve America and its economy.  We talked about tariffs, the national bank, and why improved roads and bridges were needed.

We also reviewed latitude, longitude, equator, and prime meridian. We also introduced the idea of the northern and southern hemispheres as well as the western and eastern hemispheres.  Students learned that we live in the northwestern hemisphere.

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Assignment:

Read pages 114-118

Worksheets "Longitude" and "Study Guide"

 

Today we talked about how the War of 1812 ended and the famous Battle of New Orleans.  We even listened to the old Johnny Horton song "Battle of New Orleans."  The students were not as impressed with the song as I was when I was a kid, but they got a laugh or two out of it.  We then took a bit of a break from discussing war and government and discussed geography.  Students were introduced to the concepts of latitude, longitude, equator, and prime meridian.  We even did a little activity where the students practiced latitude (crawling on the ground like ladder rungs) and longitude (stretching up high and jumping tall and LONG) in a  modified game of red light/green light.  We will be practicing this more throughout the year.

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Assignment:
HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING!  EAT LOTS OF TURKEY AND MASHED POTATOES FOR ME!

Today we started Chapter 5 on the War of 1812.  Before starting the lesson, we listened to the National Anthem (aka The Star Spangled Banner) and discussed a little bit about how the song came to be during the War of 1812.  Students have a worksheet to complete before Monday on The Star Spangled Banner.  I hope they will find it interesting!!  We then dove into the lesson on James Madison and the  War of 1812.  The students were great about listening as we talked through the many national and international factors that influenced the United States' decision to declare war on Britain.  We ended by talking about "Old Ironsides" and how the United States regained possession of the Michigan Territory through the use of America's navy after a failed attempt to attack/invade Canada.

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Assignment:
Two worksheets "Star Spangled Banner" and "War on Britain."

Read pages 111-113

The chapter 4 tests were due today!

Before starting on Chapter 5 and the War of 1812, we took a class period to talk about Veteran's Day.  We discussed how Veteran's Day came to exist, the different branches of the US Military, and the major conflicts the United States has been involved in since World War I.  

The class then negotiated their own armistice (one half of the class was the bad guys and one half was the good guys).  Once the terms had been successfully negotiated, both sides signed the armistice.  For the record, the bad guys agreed to give up half of their weapons and agreed to stop stealing money, candy, and animals from the good guys if the good guys would let them keep half their weapons and would give them food and building materials.  The bad guys would not agree to the stipulation that they had to give up pizza forever and the good guys would not agree to giving the bad guys boats, airplanes, and a mansion. Pretty fair, huh? :)

The class then divided into pairs and worked on a Veteran's Day word search.

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On Wednesday we will start Chapter 5.  It's hard to believe, but once we finished chapter 5 we will be half-way through the text!  Times flies when you're having fun!

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Assignment:

Read Chapter 5; Sections 1-2 (pages 102-110)

 

We finished chapter 4 by discussing Jefferson's love of gardening and his views on slavery.  Ask your student about the animal Jefferson compared slavery to in one of his speeches.

We then jumped right into a review of the Chapter 4 test.  The Supreme Court group battled it out with the Legislative Branch group to see who could answer the most review questions correctly.  The groups tied for 1st place!!

I did not send home a review sheet for this test as we reviewed quite extensively as we went through this chapter.  Please feel free to re-read the chapter or study in any way your student might find helpful before giving the test.  I think the students will do really well!!

Just as a reminder: The test is not an open-book test; however, please feel free to allow your student to study as much as you/they would like before the test.  If they have difficulty reading or writing, please feel free to read the questions to them and dictate their answers onto the test.  Please dictate only their answers.

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Assignment:

Chapter 4 test (due Monday 11/12)

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Have a great weekend!!

Today we discussed the difference in planning for an expedition in 1803 vs how we plan for long trips/vacations in 2018.  We then moved on to discuss the precedents established by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall during Jefferson's Presidency.  We also discussed the process of judicial review.  In order to demonstrate this, we did an activity where the class divided into members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.  Our class legislative branch proposed a new law, the executive branch considered the law and signed it, and then it sent on to the judicial branch to determine if it was Constitutional (i.e. followed Brighton school policy).  You will be relieved to know that the "No Yelling in Class" rule was signed into law and approved as Constitutional by our class Supreme Court!

I know that the chapter section on the pros and cons of democracy was a bit difficult.  We did a very basic overview of this concept in class, but we did not go into great detail.  This not something that I am too worried about the class knowing and they will not be responsible for much of this information on the test.

 

Wednesday we will do a review of the Chapter 4 test.

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Assignment:
Read pages 99-101

Worksheet "Precedents"

Finish the Expedition Journal handed out last Wednesday.  It is due this coming Wednesday (11/7).

Chapter 4 test will come home on Wednesday (due Monday, 11/11)

Today we talked about the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  Thomas Jefferson had great plans for the new land recently acquired from France and he hired the best men to lead this journey to explore this new land.  Together with skilled hunters, soldiers, interpreters, and guides, the two men and their entourage headed west.  Their mission was to find new plant and animal species, map the lands, have positive interactions with the Indian tribes, and explore all the new resources available.  Along the way, they journaled all the new things they seen and heard.  

In that spirit, each student started their own Exploration Journal.  We went outside with our blank journals to trace/rub leaves, draw tress and bark, and find insect/bug species to put in our journals.

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Assignment:
*Read pages 92-98

*Lewis and Clark Crossword Puzzle worksheet (Due Monday)

*Add to your Exploration Journal (Due next Wednesday) by going into your yard to draw or trace leaves or flowers you may see, look for animals (birds and bugs included) to draw, and map your neighborhood (with the help, permission, and guidance of your parents). If you need additional pages, please feel free add blank printer-paper pages to the book.  Be creative!!  Color your drawings, paste flowers/leaves into your journal, and make it your own creation!!

A HUGE thank you to Ms. Kong for stepping in and teaching the social studies class for me today!!  She has told me that the class was absolutely lovely and that everyone had a great time.

Here is the class summary she gave me:

We did an activity in which students represented countries (England, Spain, France, US), pirates, or goods being traded.

 

Students did not know when the pirates would plunder. Big countries could pay off the pirates to keep their journeys safe... or they could pay extra to have pirates attack other countries ships even if they had paid for safety.

 

We discussed how the US did not have a lot of money to pay off the pirates being young-I equated it to having a small allowance vs. grown-up bank accounts.

 

We then discussed how the US had war ships rather than the oared ships owned by the pirates.

 

After reviewing the Powerpoint, we did the word search before it was time to go.

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It sounds like an exciting class that I would have liked to be a part of!!  I look forward to being back with everyone on Wednesday!

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Assignment:

Read pages 88-91

Worksheet

Chapter 4 continues...Thomas Jefferson is looking to the west for more land to expand the nation's agricultural dominance.  One problem, France controls the biggest port in the west, New Orleans, and the French don't like to share.  Jefferson decides to buy New Orleans from the French who surprises Jefferson and agrees to not only sell him New Orleans, they agree to sell the entire French-controlled territory of Louisiana to him.  The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 doubled the size of the United States!

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As a supplement to Jefferson's desire to acquire more natural resources for the United States, the class learned about the different types of natural resources and why they are important.  The class also learned about renewable vs. non-renewable resources.  If they need help on their homework assignment with determining if a resources is renewable or non-renewable, please refer to the worksheet we completed in class that was sent home in their folder.

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Assignment: 

Read pages 81-87

Study guide worksheet (part 1)

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I will not be in class on Monday.  Ms. Kong, another fabulous Brighton teacher, has agreed to substitute for me.  Students will be talking about pirates (Barbary Pirates to be specific).  Argh mateys!!

 

Today we started Chapter 4!!  I am the first to admit that today's introduction was not particularly interesting or exciting.  It was full of lots of tedious information about Thomas Jefferson and those pesky Federalists/Democratic-Republicans.  Nevertheless, the students stuck with me for the whole time and even started taking notes without me asking!!!!!  I can't tell you how excited this made me!!

 

The next lessons are much more exciting and interesting including lessons on the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition!!

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Just an FYI.  Mid-term progress reports came home today.  If your student has not shown it to you yet, please ask them for it.  I went around and made sure that everyone's progress report was safely tucked into their social studies folder.  However, if it managed to make its way out of the folder before they returned home today, please ask them to locate it.  They all did EXCEPTIONALLY well!  I am so proud of them!!

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Assignment:

*Read pages 76-80

*Complete the worksheet (Venn Diagram on Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans).  Students may use the fill-in-the-blank sheet that we started in class today, which compares the views of the two parties, to help with this assignment.  We will complete the fill-in-the-blank worksheet on Wednesday.

Today was our review for the Chapter 3 test.  We played a game of Federalist vs. Democrat-Republicans to see who knew more answers to test questions!!  It was a really tight race, but the Democrat-Republicans won!!!

We then completed a Chapter 3 Review worksheet as a class.  The questions on the review sheet came directly from the test!!  Please review this review worksheet with your student.  If they are confident with the answers to this worksheet, they will be confident with the answers to the test.  

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Assignment:

Chapter 3 test due Monday!

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Hints:

For answers to Questions #16, 17, and 18, the study guide from Monday has this exact map.

Hint for #16: It is the FIRST capital of the United States

Hint for #17: It is the river the runs by Washington, D.C.

Hint for #18: It is the current capital of the United States

 

 

We finished Chapter 3!! Hooray!! We started class with a review of the problems John Adams faced from the political parties of the day (see the handout that came home today titled "Federalists vs. Democrat-Republicans).  We finished the chapter with a discussion of John Adams' political career-ending decision and the thoughtful and educated woman (Abigail Adams) that stood beside her man and helped him rule the nation. We finished the class by handing out the study guide for Chapter 3 and a coloring page of Washington, D.C. that the students can work on for fun!

Wednesday we will review as a class for the Chapter 3 test.  The test will come home on Wednesday and it will be due Monday, October 22nd.  Once again, the questions used for the review on Wednesday will come directly from the test.  I want everyone to be prepared!!

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Assignment:

Reread the chapter (if necessary) to prepare for the test
Complete the study guide (pages 41-42)

Review the "Federalists vs. Democrat-Republican" handout that came home today.

 

After listening to a few minutes of a reenactment of George Washington's Farewell Address (which everyone agreed with staggeringly boring), we discussed the last part of Chapter 3.  The United States has now had two Presidents in its short time as an independent nation.  The second President faced unique challenges from emerging political parties that lead to him leaving office after only one term as President (it also doesn't help when you make a law that is clearly unconstitutional).

On Monday we will finish up the rest of Chapter 3 and will begin reviewing for the Chapter 3 test.  Next Wednesday we will finish reviewing and the Chapter 3 test will come home.  It will be due on Monday, October 22, 2018.

There are no worksheets for this lesson.  However, a 2-3 page study guide/review will come home on Monday.

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Assignment: 

Read pages 71-75.

After much negotiation, Maryland and Virginia each gave a bit of their land to the national government to use for making the nation's capital.  With the help of Pierre E'Lafant, George Washington designed the nation's capital.  So what did we do? We designed our own nation's capital city using graph paper (since Washington D.C. is set up in a grid pattern).  I loved seeing the creativity that went into everyone's designs!!

We not only designed our own capital city, but reviewed the nation's trouble with the British, Spanish, and Indians.  We also discussed George Washington's farewell address and his warnings to the nation  as he prepared to step down from his historic role in American History.

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Chapter 2 tests were also sent home today.  Everyone did VERY well!  Make sure to check them out!!

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Assignment:
If you have not already finished your capital city design, please turn it into me on Wednesday.

Read pages 65-70

Complete the Study Guide worksheet

Just like George Washington had to establish the first budget for the United States as the President, today we established a budget.  I think the students realized it is harder than it looks!!  George Washington really had a lot on his plate in those first few years.

We then talked about the Westward Expansion and challenges with the British, Spanish, and Indians.

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Assignment:

Read Chapter 3: Lesson 4 (Pages 61-64)

Complete the worksheet 

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Have a great weekend!!

We started class by going over the Chapter 2 test.  We then started on Chapter 3 "Presidents and Precedents."  We learned about George Washington's first term as President and the precedents that he established that are still followed today.  We also talked about a new movement of Evangelical Christians and special preachers called circuit-riding preachers.

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A student said the Declaration of Independence excerpt today.  They earned 2 Jolly Ranchers and extra credit points.  I will extend the deadline for this extra credit opportunity until next Monday, October 8th.  There is 10 points available for saying the Preamble of the Constitution and 15 points for the excerpt from the Declaration of Independence.

 

Assignment:

Read the first three sections of Chapter 3 (pages 48-60)

Complete the Study Guide worksheet for Wednesday

Today we finished up our study of the US Constitution.  Many wise men met together and established a government that has lasted longer than any other Constitution in the world.  On Wednesday we will spend time reviewing for the Chapter 2 test.  The Chapter 2 test will come home on Wednesday and will be due Monday, October 1st.  Chapter 1 tests came home today.  For the most part, everyone did very well and I am extremely proud of everyone!!

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Assignment:
Read Lesson 15 (pages 45-47)

Review Worksheets (pages 21-22 and 26)

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Don't forget about the bonus point opportunity!!  One student said the Preamble for us today and earned 10 extra credit points and the applause of her classmates!!  There is still plenty of time to do one or the other or both for extra credit!!

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**Bonus point opportunity**:

For 10 extra credit points, students can memorize the Preamble to the Constitution or for 15 extra points students can memorize the following excerpt from the Declaration of Independence.  This is due by Monday, October 1st.  They can choose to say this in front of the class or just to me personally.  

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The Preamble to the Constitution:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

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From the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness...

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I have graded the Chapter 1 tests and I am VERY impressed!!  I will return them on Monday because I would like to have an opportunity to write a little update to send home with all the students about their class performance.  However, I have not had a chance to finish them yet, so they will go home Monday.  On the test I decided not to count questions #13 and 14.  Every student missed at least one of these questions.  That tells me as an instructor that I did not cover the material sufficiently and the students should not be penalized for this!!

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Today we reviewed more about the three branches of the government (legislative, executive, and judicial).  We even played a game about the different branches of government.  We also discussed issues of slavery in the Constitution as well as the other compromises made by those in the Constitutional Convention that led to the (almost) final version our country still uses today!

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Assignment:

Read Lessons 13-14 (pages 40-44)

"Branches of Government" worksheet due Monday

Today we went over the answers to the Chapter 1 test.  If the students did as well on the written test as they did on the review today, their scores should be fantastic!! We then did a brief review of the information on the Constitution that we had discussed on Wednesday.  We then moved on to discussing the Constitutional Convention, James Madison, and the Constitutional balance of powers established by the three branches of government.  This was an extremely difficult concept for the students to grasp.  We looked at pictures, we talked about it, we wrote it down, and we talked about it some more.  We even colored a picture about it.  I'm still not sure it has completely solidified, but we will continue to review it.  As you read the lessons, please review this with your student again.  On Wednesday, we will pick up where we left off with how the Constitutional Convention dealt with the question of slavery. 

As we went to write down some information today, many students told me they did not have any paper or a notebook to use.  Please make sure your student has either loose leaf paper available or a notebook that they can use for social studies.  We don't always write a lot in class, but when we do it is important that they have something to write on.

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Assignment:

Read Lessons 11-12 (pages 33-39)

Complete the crossword puzzle worksheet for Wednesday

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**Bonus point opportunity**:

For 10 extra credit points, students can memorize the Preamble to the Constitution or for 15 extra points students can memorize the following excerpt from the Declaration of Independence.  This is due by Monday, October 1st.  They can choose to say this in front of the class or just to me personally.  

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The Preamble to the Constitution:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

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From the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness...

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Good Evening All,

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We began exploring Chapter 2 today on "The Constitution." We also spent quite a bit of time at the end of the class, once again, reviewing for the Chapter 1 test.  Hint: I took all the review questions directly from the test!!  The chapter 1 test paper came home tonight and should be in your student's social studies folder.  It is due Monday, September 17th.  As a reward for answering review questions correctly, students were given a packet of candy.  My explicit instructions to them were to NOT open any of the candy until they returned home this afternoon and they had asked permission from their parents/caregiver.  If they did not wait, please let me know!!  All the students seemed to have an excellent grasp of the chapter material.  I believe they will do well on the test, even if they have to dictate a few of their answers!

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Assignment:
Complete Chapter 1 test and return it to class on Monday, September 17th

Read Chapter 2; Lesson 10 (pages 28-32).

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Have a great weekend!

Hi all,

We covered quite a bit of ground again today.  We reviewed the information on the Great Awakening and the French and Indian War again.  We then dove into the Declaration of Independence (which is not covered in the book , but I thought it was important for the students to at least be familiar with the topic) and finished up with the Revolutionary War and the Surrender at Yorktown.

As a way to review, we played a game of "Yorktown."  The class was divided into British soldiers and Continental Army (American colonists).  Each time the group answered a question correctly they were able to move towards the opposing side.  The first group to reach the middle won the game.  Let's just say that if our game decided the actual outcome of the Revolutionary War, America would still be under British control! ;) 

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*The Chapter 1 test will come home on Wednesday and will be due next Monday, September 17th.

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Assignment:

*Finish the review worksheets sent home last Wednesday (if they have not already been completed).  These are due Wednesday, 9/12.

*Study for the Chapter 1 test.  This could easily be done by reviewing the answers on the review worksheets mentioned above as well as reviewing vocabulary words highlighted/bolded in the text.

 

Hi all, 

I hope you had a wonderful and restful holiday break! 

We started off class today with a quick game of "ships and sailors."  After all the talking we have been doing about sailing over the ocean, a game of "ships and sailors" was a perfect way get the wiggles out while tying in some of our classwork.

We then started discussing the Great Awakening, the French/Indian War, and the First Continental Congress.  I could tell by that time I was losing everyone!!  So we stopped for the day, leaving off with the Declaration of Independence.  We will pick up there on Monday and we will finish up Chapter 1 by discussing the Revolutionary War.  We ended class by reading a little more from our book about the Hopkins family and their journey across the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower.

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If time allows we will play a review game called "Yorktown" on Monday as we prepare for our chapter 1 test which will come home next Wednesday, 9/12 and will be due on Monday, 9/17.

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Assignment:

Students should review all the key (bold) words throughout the chapter, making sure they understand them.

Chapter Review Worksheets (these will be due next Wednesday, September 12) 

**I know that page 3 of the worksheet packet may be difficult, especially for younger students.  Please just do the best that you all can!!  Once again, there is much love and grace.**

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Have a great weekend!!!

Well, we may have been a bit off-kilter on Monday, but everyone more than made up for it today!!  We were able to cover 3 lessons worth of information during the class period.  Students were answering questions, asking questions, and listening to the information!!  

We talked about the Olmecs.  They were the first civilization to have cities.  They were also the first to use rubber.  We even looked at pictures of the awesome and gigantic stone faces they would carve of their chieftains.   We then briefly talked about the mound-building Native Americans.  You can even see some of these mounds that have survived until today a few hours away at a place called Cahokia, IL (30 minutes from St. Louis).

We saw a demonstration about bartering.  My tribe makes lots of ink pens and we have more than we need.  Miss. J's tribe makes lots of gel pens and they have more than they need.  My tribe traded ink pens for Miss J's tribe's gel pens and everyone was happy!

We then talked about the problems brewing between the Native Americans and the English settlers and why they had a difficult time getting along.  I was so impressed with how well the students remembered the details of these concerns.  

We ended our lessons with a discussion of a new group of settlers called the Puritans and the covenant they believed God had made with them as well as the all-important trade triangle that impacted the global economy from the 1600-1700's.

Because everyone was so totally awesome, we played a very quick game of "Simon Says' and then settled down to listen to the first few chapters in a book about the Pilgrim's voyage to the New World.  Ask your student the name of the baby born on the Mayflower while traveling to the New World!!  We will try to read more in this book on Wednesday!!

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Assignment:

Read Lessons 6-7 (pages 20-27)

Worksheets 12-13

See you Wednesday!  Have a wonderful holiday weekend!!

We were not able to cover as much material as we did last Wednesday.  I think most of us were feeling a little off-kilter today (myself included).  We did not accomplish as much as I had hoped, but that's okay.  Wednesday is another day!!

We did go back to pick up where we left off with the Mayflower Compact on Wednesday.  After a mutiny on our pretend Mayflower ship, we talked about the importance of having rules.  We discussed the Mayflower Compact in class and looked at its significance.  The boys in the class signed the document (just for fun) and we further discussed how only the men were allowed to sign documents at the time. Ask your student the importance of this document and see if they can tell you about it!  Your student may  have come home with a Mayflower Compact worksheet.  It is not a homework assignment.  Do not worry about completing it!!

We went on to talk about how historians believe the Native Americans came to be in North America.  Historian form their opinions about historical events, like the migration of the Native Americans, by examining historical evidence.  As a class, we then looked at primary vs secondary historical sources.  This activity took a bit longer then anticipated so we were not able to discuss any more about the Native Americans and the Puritans.  We will pick up with these topics on Wednesday.

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Assignment for 8/29:

Finish any incomplete sections on the Primary vs Secondary Source worksheet (pages 8-9).

Read Lesson 5 (pages 18-19)

Complete worksheet pages 7, 10 and 11.

We covered a great deal of material today!!  The students were great and really stuck with me as we cruised through about 150 years of American history in 60 minutes!  Don't worry. We had a bit of time for some fun.  We started class with a few minutes of Silly Simon Says, just to get the wiggles out.  We then had a number of class volunteers act out a bit of Columbus' persistent attempts to gain support for his vision to find a shorter route to India.  We discussed what Columbus ACTUALLY discovered on his voyage and how it changed history FOREVER!!  We talked a little bit about God's sovereignty in the timing of the discovery of the "New World" which provided the perfect refuge for people experiencing religious persecution during the Protestant Reformation.  

We went on to talk about the founding of Jamestown and why the settlement nearly disappeared.  We fast forwarded a few years later to the founding of Plymouth Colony by the Pilgrims and how Squanto helped to save the few English settlers who managed to survive that first brutal winter.  The students were very disturbed to learn that there were no desserts at the First Thanksgiving because there was no sugar in the new world! :)

Monday we will finish up talking about the Plymouth Colony and the Mayflower Compact.  We will dive into some of the amazing characteristics of the Native American tribes that the settlers encountered in the new world.  

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Assignment:

Read Lessons 3 and 4; pages 11-17. You do NOT need to do the Primary vs. Secondary Source activity on page 17.  We will talk about this in class.

Complete worksheets "Study Guide" (page 4), "Discovered Lands" (page 5) and "America" (page 6).

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See you Monday!!

We had a great time getting to know each other today.  We talked about what we will be studying this year and some of the class expectations.

First through third graders gets a little squirrely during the last period of the day, so we did a game of "Simon Says" in order to get the wiggles out.

We also learned the "Doxology" and talk about the history and purpose of it.  We also completed a worksheet in class about this song.  

I discovered a slight predicament in class today.  I found that one half of the class has the 2nd edition of the text book, and half the class has the 3rd edition of the text.  Typically the different editions of a text do not vary that much.  The pages may be numbered a little different and the graphics are typically updated in the newer edition.  That is not the case with this text.  The two editions are COMPLETELY different.  I did not have an opportunity to go page-by-page, but it appears as if the texts cover completely different time periods, has different graphics, and completely different chapter topics.  While I work to find a more permanent solution to this difficulty, I have scanned Chapter 1: Lessons 1 and 2.  It is attached to this post.  The worksheets that came home tonight will require utilizing these pages from the 3rd edition to find the answers.  If your student already has a 3rd edition, you will not need to do anything else.  If your student has a 2nd edition, please see the attachment for the reading assignment.

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Assignment:
Read Chapter 1: Lessons 1 and 2 (attached for those with a 2nd edition)

Complete worksheets "The Great Commission" (page 3) and "The New World" (page 4)

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See you all Wednesday!!!

Welcome to Elementary Social Studies!  I am so excited to be teaching this course.  While I have been working in the mental health field for many years, my first academic love will always be history.  For this course we will be using BJU Heritage Studies 3 (3rd edition)  Please have the student textbook as soon as possible as we will be getting started right away.  

Please bring your textbook, notebook, and folder to class each day.  I will be sending home worksheets and activities to complete after most class periods.  For more details regarding assignments, grading, and expectations, please see the course syllabus.  

I look forward to seeing you soon!