Today we finished the handout that went with our reading of chapters 17 and 18. We then worked in cooperation to develop a common definition of Progressive Era. We used this worksheet for our work on the common definition.

Today we read and answered questions about chapters 17 and 18. The questions can be viewed from this link.


Below are some of the Muckraker Newspapers -
The New York Muckraker
The Muckrakers
Muckraker Articles
Problems in Our Country Revealed
20th Century Issues
The Brenoliaren Times
The Daily News
The Global Gazette
The Other Side of Happy
Current News
The Muckraker's Edition
The Truth
The Daily Find

Today we took another one question test at the very start of class.

Afterwards, we looked at some of the groups newspapers from the project. There were a number of groups that did not complete the project or did it incorrectly and will need to finish and/or correct their papers. the instructions for the project can be found at this link. Groups choosing to follow a format different than was outlined will need to make certain they print their own work.

After a review of our newspapers we watched another segment of the Jim Crow documentary.

Mr. Williams is still sick and struggling with keeping all things going. As a result this post is late.

In class we used our notes on the images and text we collected for our muckraker articles as we we determined if these events were examples of success or failure of one of the ideals. For each situation we choose an ideal and created lists of examples of both failure and success of that ideal so we could determine which we thought it was. We worked in our newspaper group to discuss our views and then shared them as a whole class.

We also discussed how we think these problems will be resolved. We added our predictions to the ideals success/failure notes and turned them in.

We then had fifteen to twenty minutes to continue working on our newspaper assignment.

Today we finished with the collection of information about life in the early twentieth century (see blog post from last Tuesday and Thursday). We then were assigned a project in which we will work cooperatively with a few classmates to create a newspaper.

This assignment is outlined here.

We worked on this assignment in class today. We will need to work outside of class to complete this assignment by Thursday evening.

Today we continue the investigation of the problems of the early twentieth century.

The images we used for this can be accessed from this link. This is a continuation from Tuesday.

Today Mr. Williams explained that we no longer have time in the schedule for whole day exams. Instead of the exams that had followed sections of the textbook, we will be taking more frequent single question tests at the the start of class. The tests will not occur every day but will be frequent. The tests will consist of a single essay response question that would require about a paragraph or two to answer. Students who are late on the days the tests are offered will not have an opportunity to take the test unless the come to class with an excused tardy/absence slip. Students who are excused tardy or absent will need to complete the test after school, during lunch or during tutorial.  (on time means we are in class and ready to begin when the bell rings - late means we are not in class when the bell rings - the grey area is when we are in the class but not yet in our desk ready to begin)

We did a review of the previous two chapters. We created "eight" poems for the review for each chapter.

The eight poems are poems with eight lines and every line ends with the eight sound. The lines should have few syllables but does not have to be a consistent.


After sharing some "eight" poems, we looked at an image from the era and discussed muckraking. We then read chapter 16 section 2 while responding to the following questions:

• What important Announcement did the Census make in 1890?
• What happened to American industry in the years after the civil war?
• What did American cities look like in 1900?
• How did the US population become more diverse by the early 1900s?

We then started researching for a muckraker newspaper we will be writing.

Link

On Friday we finished the reading notes form Monday and then turned them in.

Today, Wednesday -

Our guidance counselor worked with us about our transcripts, graduation requirements and how to use Navience.

Monday,

Today we had a substitute teacher because Mr. Williams was in meetings that kept him from class.

In class we took notes on chapter's 14 and 15. We used this reading to help with the reading notes. This reading is a condensed version of the textbook reading. We used this note-taking format. It is a format we have used before.

Today we continued working on the Triangle Shirtwaist factory assignment. Last week we watched the video segments through section five. While watching the video we were creating list of issues and concerns for both the workers and the owners of the factory.

Today we took that information and created news radio reports and interviews. The assignment instructions can be found here - (Link to today's activity).

The interviewed will be record to a voicemail that we will access through our cell phones. These interviews will be posted to this blog (lower right sidebar) for reviewing and sharing purposes by the week's end.

Today we reviewed the dawn of Jim Crow. We discussed the origins and causes and impact of the early Jim Crow laws and practices. We will return to Jim Crow practices soon.

We then shifted back to the industrialization of the United States. We created a two sided sheet with an small illustration of a newly rich factory owner on one side of a blank sheet of paper and a small illustration of a factory worker on the other side. We started watching the video about the Triangle Shirt Fire (see clips at the bottom of this page). During each segment we listed the grievances and concerns for each group. After watching each clip we discussed each group's perspectives about the situation as it developed. Today we completed sections 1 through 5.

Today we completed another section of reading notes (Chapter13 section 4).

We then watched a documentary on Jim Crow. This documentary we will watch in four sections over the course of the next couple of months. We will watch the sections as the relate to the context and era we are studying.

Chapter 13 reading notes

Today we started the reading for Chapter 13. We worked through the reading one section (really one sub-section) at a time. First we scanned just the images of the chapter 13 and created a real short story that the pictures may relate to. We tried to keep it as real as possible (not making outlandish stories but ones that might actually be correct.

After creating and sharing our stories we looked over the titles for the sections and subsections to determine if our stories were likely to be close. Once we determined the content of the chapter we generated a a question we wanted the section to address and identified how this content might relate to our lives.

Once we finished the pre-reading activity we started reading and taking notes following the format identified at this link. We identified the section and sub sections. We paraphrased each subsection with an emphasis on the main idea for each subsection. If the section provided an answer - or insight into an answer - to the question we posed then we answered our question. We also identified how the section was relevant to our lives as well as how the section presents either a success or a failure of one of the ideals.

Before we moved onto the next section we watched the last of the Transcontinental  Railroad video

Mr. Williams was out not in class today. We had a sub and we watched more about the Transcontinental Railroad. During the video we worked on an assignment that is optional for 15 points of extra credit.

The assignment is explained in Tuesday's post.

Today we viewed our classmates videos about the Civil War.

We then read chapter 11 from the textbook.

Finally, we were introduced to the assignment we will do for Thursday. We will either create a newspaper double page spread or a collection of political cartoons. The instructions for this can be found at this link.

We watched the first 25 minutes of the documentary Transcontinental Railroad. We will watch the rest of it on Thursday. We will pull content from this video for the assignment.

For students who are going to make the newspaper, they can use this Google Docs template. If we do not use the template we will need to format our own document, then print it and bring it to class on Monday.

Civil War videos

Today we finished our Civil War videos. Students also had access to the computer lab for the second half of class to finish their revisions.

Below are links to our videos:

period 6
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Period 7
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.1, 5.2, 6,

Period 8
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9


If your video is not linked to one of the above numbers you will need to see me. It means either I do not have a link to it or it contained inappropriate content.

Please let me know if I placed your video in the list for the wrong class period.


Reminder, Final Drafts of Essays will be due Friday October 28th.

Video production work

Today we used the class time to work with our group on the video project mentioned in Monday's Blog post.

We were also reminded again to make certain that the file name for our essays is our name rather than "US history Essay" or some other file name. The final draft of the essays will be due Friday October 28th.

Essay revisions and Plain English Video

In the lab today we started work on the revisions to our quarter one essays about the Ideals found in the Declaration of Independence. Access this link to see the revision instructions. The revisions are to be complete by October 28th and we will spend only two half periods in the lab to make these revisions. This should be enough time but those who need more will need to find it outside of the class time.

Upon returning to class we started work on Plain English Videos about the American Civil War. We will work in class with this video project which must be complete by 3:30 on Friday the 21st. Here is one example of a Plain English style video (zombies) and here is another (US Presidential elections)

The content will will be about the causes of the American Civil War and the War itself. The sections of the textbook that address this content include chapter 8 section 4 through chapter 10 section 7.

The steps include:

1. Quickly read the portion of the text addressing this content
2. Discuss the content with your group of three and develop a story line
3. Reread the text while writing the narration for the video including details
4. Test the recording and uploading video
5. Create visuals and rehearse narration
6. Record the video in a single take
7. If errors exist in recording delete the video and rerecord
8. Upload the video and share the link with Mr. Williams (Qik was a recommended resource for easily recording and uploading this type of video - which requires a free account to be created. Students can also opt to use a device belonging to Mr. Williams)

Today (yesterday for period 6) we finished with the reading notes and discussions for section 8.3. This section is continuing with the westward expansion of the United States.

The note-taking method for these two sections can be viewed here.

Chapter 8 reading notes

Today we started reading and discussing chapter 8. We used a reading note method that required us to identify the section and subsection of the reading one subsection at a time. We then paraphrased that subsection, identified the key change that resulted and explained how the section represents either a failure or success of one of "the ideals". We finished the notes by creating a visual that represents each subsection's message.

You can click this link to see an example of the note-taking method and an explanation.

We finished only section 8.2 and got started on section 8.3.

We took a test covering the Colonial era and dawn of the US Constitution.

We also completed an exercise where we translated the preamble of the US Constitution and the portion of the Declaration of Independence we have been focused on. The sheet for completing this activity can be accessed at this link.

Today we finished working on this reading guide and discussing the founding of the US Constitution.

We also completed the self evaluation of the Career Related Learning Standards.

We should be prepared for a quiz covering chapters 4, 5, and 6.

Creation of the Constitution.

Today we spent part of the class working on sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the this handout. We will pick-up on Tuesday where we left off. We should NOT work on this at home unless we did not get through 6.2.

For the final forty minutes of class we went to the computer lab so that we could type our rough drafts into Google Docs. The rough drafts will need to be shared into Google Docs by Tuesday (that means before school on Tuesday). Mr. Williams will not be collect printed copies of this paper so there is no need to print them.

Justified to revolt?

Today we asked the question - Were the American Colonists justified in rebelling against British rule.

We started the day by writing a response to the above question from our own perspective. We had to write a single paragraph and present evidence for our perspective.

We then moved into groups and were assigned one of four different roles: patriots, moderates, loyalists and the British government (King George and parliament). We were given sheets that identified the perspective of people in this role and presented primary source evidence that explains and supports the perspective we were assigned.

We worked in our group to create a list of some good points that support the perspective we were assigned. We were able to pull from the materials provided as well as from chapter five of the text which we were to have read during the previous class session.

We paused to write a second paragraph from another perspective on the same issue. We could write from the perspective we were assigned or if that perspective matched our own perspective then we were to write from any other perspective.

Periods six and seven then used a text messaging curating program to share our ideas with others. We sent our points to our class "celly" (text discussion resource) and Mr. Williams approved them for distribution to others. We were then able to record the points being made by the other groups on a worksheet provided by Mr. Williams. We also were then able to send responses so as to continue sharing the perspective we adopted for the activity.

Period eight did not use the text management resources but instead took turns sharing our points. We recorded the points of others, on the same worksheet as periods 6 and 7, as they shared them with the class.

All periods ended the day by writing a third paragraph from a third perspective.

Mr Williams collected the worksheet and the three paragraphs as we exited the class.

Chapters four and five

Today we read through the rest of chapter four and all of chapter five. During the reading we completed this handout so as to help focus our reading. On the front page we added details about the seven events. We listed the year of the event, created an icon that represents the event and then explained how the even impacted the American rights and the US government.

On the second half of the handout we identified and explained examples of events that could be deemed as the origins of the ideal or at least an event that helped to fan the spread and growth of the ideal.

While we were working on the reading, Mr. Williams discussed our grade and explained how we could retake the test for an improved score. If we are not satisfied with our test score, we can retake the test for full credit after we have better prepared and arranged a time to retake the test. Mr. Williams is of course available during tutorial time, but he can also stay past his contract day for test retakes so long as he does not have a meeting or family obligation that would prevent him from doing so.

We will be doing a tea party activity on Wednesday and having completely read chapter five (which should have happened in class today) will ensure a successful in class activity. If for whatever reason anyone did not complete the reading in class, they should make certain that the catch-up before Wednesday.

Citation information for in class materials.

Below you will find the MLA citations for the resources we used in class.

For the History Alive textbook and images on the placards use the following:
in text -
(Hart)

Bibliography page -
Hart, Diane, and Bert Bower. History Alive!: Pursuing American Ideals. Palo Alto, CA: Teacehrs' Curriculum Institute, 2008. Print.


For in class discussion use the following:
in text -
(Williams)

Bibliography page (note that you need to set the period number and the date) -
Williams, Michael. "US History." Period #. Grant High School, Portland. date. In Person.


For other resources you will need to create your own citations using the citation maker tools shared in class or by hand.

Also note that you will need to indent every line except for the first line of each citation on the bibliography page (opposite of a paragraph).

Today our media specialist visited us while we were in the computer lab. She shared with us a resource that we can use to gather evidence to support our position on the essay we are writing as our quarter one project. She shared with us Opposing Viewpoints which is a database of articles about specific issues. We can find our articles that will help us better understand other people's views on my specific topic. (Have we as Americans lived up to the ideals outlined in the Declaration of Independence - we can focus on a single ideal or on all of them).

She also showed us how to quickly and easily create the bibliography information needed for our paper. If we are using the Opposing Viewpoints resource these citations are already created for us and we need only copy them from the website.

We can access this database from the Multnomah County Library web site so long as we have a library card. We can also log on to OSLIS and access the opposing viewpoint by following the step outlined in class. The username for access away from school is port and the password is oslis. You must be a PPS student to access the resource.

There will be no additional homework but I the rough draft will need to be posted to each student's shared document in Google docs by October 4th. That means that this essay will need to be done outside of class. I know I promised very little homework but I just can't find the minutes to get the writing done within class time. That said, ten days to write five paragraphs does not seem too unreasonable nor an excessive burden.

We returned to the class for the second half where we read a short section of the textbook and discussed the peopling of the colonies via indentured servitude.

Today we took the test covering chapters 1, 2, and 3. Anyone who needed extra time was welcome to come after school. Anyone who needs or wants to retake the test can arrange a time to do so (the retake may be a different assessment covering the same content). If someone is asking for time that is outside the time that Mr. Williams is paid to be at school it is expected that the person understands that he will be able to stay only when there is not a conflict with his family and personal obligations. That said, Mr. Williams works late most days and he has a tolerant wife (his daughters however are less forgiving of the time that is taken from them so when they have events Mr. Williams's time is less flexible).

Geography in the US

Today we discussed the geographic features that had the greatest impact on the growth and advancement of the United States. Before the discussion we each sketched a map of the US and identified the geographic features that we each thought had the greatest influence both in our success as well in being an obstacle to that success.

We then read chapter 3. After reading each section we had to determine what was meant to be learned or what was "the moral" of that section. We then wrote a question for each section for which the response would show the readers comprehension of the significance of each section. We also included the answer to the question so as to show we understood the significance of the section.

After reading we shared some of the questions and our responses. We first shared in small groups and then each small group sent their question via text to Mr. Williams so as to share it with the class.

The next time we meet we will have a test covering the first three chapters.

Images as Evidence

We finished the in class evaluation of the eighteen images. he task was to identify whether the images provides evidence of living up to one of the fives ideals mentioned in the Deceleration of Independence (democracy, opportunity, liberty, rights, equality). The example was a fill in the blank statement that read -

Placard ___ about  ___________ exemplifies the success/failure (choose one) of the American ideal of _________ because _____________________________________ .

Those placards can be viewed here or here. The responses will be used as evidence for the persuasive essay we will be working on in class.


We also went to the computer lab and set-up a Google Document for every student that was then shared with Mr. Williams at his Google account (fstopmm@gmail.com). Each student shared a document that was titled as their name (first and last). It was shared with Mr. Williams so he had comment rights but not edit rights.

We will use that one Google Document for all essays so no future sharing or document creation is necessary.

(sorry for the delayed posting - I had meetings until 7:00 last night and then my family took me to dinner for my birthday)

Ideals found in the Declaration of Independence

Today we read chapter two and discussed the ideals of the United States as they are outlined in the Declaration of Independence. The ideals that were established in the Declaration of Independence include: Democracy, Opportunity, Liberty, Equality, Rights.We defined these ideals and provided examples of them from both history and today.

We also were assigned a five+ paragraph essay. The essay is to respond to the following question: Have Americans lived up to the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence? The instructions for this essay can be found at this link. The scoring guide that will be used for this essay is the regular scoring guide that students have seen for the last few years. That scoring guide can be accessed from this link.

We began collecting evidence that might support our positions for the essay. We did this by looking at eighteen images and identifying if the image is an example of America's success or failure in living up to a particular ideal. Some of the images could show success or failure for multiple ideals. Some could even be interpreted as showing both success and failure of a particular ideal (again this will be influenced by one's perspective and any view is acceptable so long as their is evidence to support for that view).

Stolen Phone

Today Mr. Williams faked his phone being stolen (students did not know it was faked but some caught on) and he had the students collect as much data on the incident as they could recall. Students then shared what they knew with a few students who were not in the room at the time of the "crime" (these students were given a task to ensure they were out of the room). The students who were out of the room then reported about what they knew about the "crime".

After Mr. Williams confessed that it was a hoax, we discussed terms such as Evidence, Primary source, secondary source, point of view and historical interpretation.

Students then read the introduction and completed the table where the terms were defined and examples from the "crime" where identified. That table can be accessed from this link. On the back of that sheet students attached three copies of the same picture of Christopher Columbus and then identified evidence in the picture that supports three different historians (pages 11 and 12 in their text) perspective of Christopher Columbus. That same picture had evidence that supported three very different views.

I also distributed a permission slip for working online. If by chance that permission slip was lost you can get a copy of it from this link.

Today we discussed and worked on a half page visual that represents each person. On a half sheet of paper each person needs to add something about themselves including the following:

• First and Last name
• Birth date
• One thing they want to accomplish or do
• Favorite band/music
• Favorite subject
• favorite movie / TV show
• Favorite saying or quote
• Favorite sport or activity
• What they are know for
• Anything else they would like to include

These sheets need to be returned completed with care by the next class session.