Amazing job!

Good Morning! You guys did such an OUTSTANDING, PHENOMENAL job yesterday with the Open House. I was very impressed with Hunter and Colton and the tours they completed of the whole school. I was impressed with Jonah and Gary for their tours of the classroom. Awesome, awesome, awesome!

Tell me what your favorite part of the Open House was yesterday!

Caste System

Good Morning! Yesterday we discussed the Caste System in India and did a simulation activity on it for our history class. Give me a recap of what we did and tell me what you think it would be like live in that society.

Brahmins: Priests
Kshatriya: Rules and Warriors
Vaishyas: Farmers, merchants, middle class
Shudras: Servants and farm workers
Dalits: Lowest status group possible

The Giver Summary

Good Morning!

Yesterday we completed chapter 14 of The Giver. Please write your own summary of the chapter. This summary needs to be in complete sentences and must be at least 5 sentences long.

Go!

Utopian Society..

Yesterday, you got to start working on your Utopian Society. I was really impressed with the conversations I heard and some of you were quite creative.

I want you to "visit" a society that considers themselves a Utopian Society. Go on a virtual tour of the Twin Oaks Society by clicking on the following link: http://www.twinoakscommunity.org/.


Once you are there click on the "About". Read over the information they supply and try your best to picture yourself there. Would you like it? Why? Why not? Would you start your own Utopian Society?

How many people do they have in their community?

How much land do they have?

What sort of jobs do they have?

Who makes the decisions there?

What do they do for recreational purposes?

Can you become a member? How?

Answer those questions in the comment box below. Then elaborate on whether or not you would choose to live in that society.

Ready for your future?

Good Morning.

Today, some of you will be completing your career assessments online.

Please go to the following link if you are 14 years of age or older: www.pacareerzone.org

For the username enter your whole first name and the first initial of your last name.

For the password type in NHSschool.

For example:

Username: RachaelD
Password: NHSschool

Click on the Assess Yourself option to the lower left.

Once that opens, click on the "Quick Assessment".

Once you complete your assessment you may return to your seat.

Thanks!

PROJECT!

Good Morning!

I decided to post this on the main page because it's so much FUN and it's really important!

You will be creating your very own Utopian community! You will design the community and generate the "rules" to live by. In the novel, The Giver, Jonas lives in a Utopia where the world around him functions only one way for everyone and as far as they are concerned, it is the BEST way. Utopia is defined as an ideally perfect place, especially in it's social, political, and moral aspects. This place would be so perfect that others would want to join your community and never leave.

You will draw your Utopia. Give it a name, use color, and be creative! By each landmark, or some where on your picture, you will address the following topics.

Education:

• What will be taught? 
• What subjects are required?
•  How will education serve the community? 
• What special classes or extracurricular options will be offered? 
• Will you even have school?

Government

• Who makes the laws and how are they enforced? 
• Are there laws?
• Is it a democracy or a dictatorship?
• How do citizens know about the laws? Are they posted somewhere?
• What happens if someone breaks the law?

Family

• How many children is each family allowed?
• What are the household standards and the standards of living?
• Matriarchy and patriarchy or neither?
• Responsibilities of parents and kids?

Environment

• Whose job is it to protect the environment?
• Will it be in danger or is it a major resource?

Community "Rules"

• Guidelines to live by
• Who is in charge?
• What types of rituals or specific ways of living will be forced upon, reinforced, or celebrated in your society?

This project is worth 50 points.

Outline is due by Monday 9/22/2014.

Rough draft is due by Friday 9/26/2014.

Final copy is due by Wednesday 10/1/2014.

Hold Up!

A LOT has been going on in our classroom the past week. So much in fact, I haven't had much time to update our blog!

 This week our class has been learning to take an inquiry approach to Science. You all applied this concept during their mystery box activity in which they had to ask questions on what was in the box. After everyone had all agreed upon what was in the box, you had to draw a diagram showing where exactly in the box it was located. This activity taught you what questions to ask and how beneficial these questions are when doing research. This was a great introductory lesson in getting into the scientific mind set.

After learning the importance asking questions in science, we learned how to create a hypothesis, gather data, record data, and then form a conclusion. You guys did an experiment comparing the volume of water to oil. You had to follow the procedure set forth in the directions and produce questions as to why you were following these steps. Then, before you mixed the water and the oil you had to create a hypothesis as to what would happen. After that, you performed the final step and recorded the data. 

                In History, our class has been studying the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution. You completed a simulation activity in which you had to live and barter with their capital goods. You used units of wheat to be able to feed their family, buy new tools such as hoes, sickles, and canal systems. You learned that wheat that was originally used to survive on turned into a capital good you could utilize to buy things and improve the standard of living. You had to consider the amount of wheat your families would need, what you would keep in case of a drought, and then what you needed to help  produce more goods. 

What was your favorite activity so far? Please comment below and share your favorite one so far and something you hope to learn about in the future!!

NOW, go to Chapter 10 Summary and respond and then check out the Utopian Society page. 

Happy Monday!

Good Morning!! 

Please go to the chapter summary links on the right hand side of the page and review chapter 8 and 9 and respond to the questions in the comment box. 

Feedback!

Good Morning!

Over the weekend I was able to go over your posts from the Chapter Summaries for our class novel. Overall, you guys did a nice job.

We need to remember to use capitalization when starting a sentence and punctuation when ending a sentence.

Also, use complete sentences. When you write "no that would be weird", I get confused... What is weird? Why are you telling me no? This is called a fragment sentence. Sentences require a subject (who or what) and a predicate (what is happening).

Lastly, punctuation is critical! Are you saying it as a statement requiring just a period (.) or is that suppose to be an exclamatory sentence requiring an exclamation point (!).

Make sure you have headphones on and watch the video below on how to write a complete sentence.

HOW TO WRITE A COMPLETE SENTENCE

After you have finished watching the video, go back and read the comments I left for you on your posts for the chapter summaries 1-3. Respond to my comment or to another peer's post utilizing the techniques from the video.

See me if you have any questions!

The Giver Chapter Summaries

Today  I would like to you to look at our Giver Chapter Summary Pages. This is located along the right side of your computer screen. Open Chapter 1, read the review, and comment on the page with your answer to the questions. Go back to the home page and repeat that process for Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 as well. We fell behind with this and need to get caught up!

Ask me for help if you need it.

Good luck!

Gym Day!

Good Morning!! Today is Thursday, the day we are going to the YMCA. We will be going every Thursday but we will rotate what events we are doing. Today, we will be swimming so next Thursday we will be going to the gym. Are you excited?!

Yesterday you guys posted some behavioral expectations for the van ride and the YMCA. Here are my expectations:

1. Follow all directions the first time given.

2. Be respectful of yourself, others, and the building/van. 

3. Be prepared. If you don't bring a real bathing suit AND towel, you are not swimming.

4. Keep your hands/feet to yourself in the van and at the YMCA.

5. Appropriate/encouraging language only.

You can put your bathing suit on at school but remember to take ALL of your clothes with you to change into after swimming. We will be leaving school at 9:45 to be at the gym at 10 o'clock. You will walk into the locker room and put your personal items in a locker. You will not touch anyone else's personal items. I will be waiting on the other side of  the locker room for you. You will not be in the locker room for any more than 2 minutes before I send a male staff member in to get you. You will swim for half an hour before I start calling people to get out of the pool. Once your name is called you will get out of the pool without arguing or complaining, go to the locker room, shower, put on your dry clothes, and put your wet clothes in your bag. This should take approximately 10 minutes per student. If you are in the locker room too long, I will send a male staff member in to get you. Then you will return to the pool to sit and wait with me. Once everyone has completed this process, we will walk out to the van and return to school. We should be back around 11:20 which we will then proceed with our typical daily schedule. 

Please comment below stating you have read the expectations and procedures and understand them. If you have a question, come see me, and we will discuss it. 

Wednesday, September 3rd

Good Morning!

How do you like our morning routine so far? Are you managing everything alright?

Tomorrow, Thursday, we'll be going to the YMCA. We'll be swimming in the pool. What do you think some of the rules should be for our trip to the YMCA? What swimming attire do you think would be appropriate for this? How do you think you should behave in the van on the way to the YMCA? What about when you are in the pool?

Respond in at least 3 complete sentences. Complete sentences utilize capitalization, subject, predicate, and punctuation.

Happy Tuesday!

Good Morning! I hope you enjoyed your three day weekend for Labor Day!

Do you know why we celebrate Labor Day? Some people think it's to signify the end of Summer. But actually, it's a day dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It was first passed as a legal holiday on June 28, 1894.

How did the idea even come about? Working conditions then were unsafe, unsanitary, they worked long hours, and were treated poorly. They also made children work since it was legal then. Many factories were dark, dirty, and dangerous. Driven by poverty, these children were required to work long days (as many as 18 hours).

Eventually, people began protesting against their current work conditions. After a long battle, things slowly began to change in America and working conditions improved, child labor laws were put in place, and we now celebrate the achievements of our American Workers.

 


What does Labor Day mean to you? Please respond in the comment section below.