While the zoo was fun yesterday, I am very excited to get back into the classroom with y’all!

9/24 Quick Write:

We are back to Investigation #1! After briefly reviewing and wrapping up our work on Source 1, we are annotating Source 2– a Youtube video!

We will consider whether this source is reliable for learning about the dodecahedron (which is our Central Question and Quick Write for today!). With the guidance of our Bookmark tool, we will look for evidence for whether this is a reliable source or not.

We will write our annotations and notes in the Source Packet, which you should bring to class everyday this week!

Below are the slides of Source #2, the Bookmark, and a copy of the Source Packet:

I know this Investigation has involved a lot of instruction so far– from here on out, you will be taking the lead!

Happy first day of Fall!! I wish I could spend it with all of you!

9/23 Quick Write:

As you already know, today there will be a substitute. I expect for you to treat the substitute even better than you usually treat me: with respect and understanding.

Any misbehavior will result in:

• Call home
• Signature on the PBIS form
• Lunch detention (you will spend lunch with me) 

Do not embarrass yourself, and DO NOT embarrass me. The substitute will be instructed to call/text me if there are ANY issues. Remember… I want the sub to see what I get to see everyday– how cool, smart and on-task you all are. Make me proud!

After you set up your new page of Quick Writes, you will be given an Anthropology Article and a Bookmark sheet. Following the directions provided, you will annotate the article using the Bookmark, and write a short response to the Central Question: How do anthropologists help us understand the past?

Article, directions and Bookmark can be found here:

Have a great day…. make me proud and I’m looking forward for joining you in class on Tuesday!

Yes, we made it to Friday!

9/20 Quick Write:

Even though we have shortened classes, we will continue to progress through Source 1 of our Investigation. You will be completing the Reliable/Unreliable box in your packet, and documenting what you’ve learned about dodecahedron from Source 1. You will work with table groups, and then we will come back together at the end of class so we can all discuss what we think of Source 1.

Next week we will dive into Source 2 and 3!

Have a great and SAFE weekend!

Welcome to Thursday! Reminder: tomorrow is a Half Day!

9/19 Quick Write:

Today We will finish our annotations of Source 1– we will continue to work on this source all together. Once we have finished the first source, you will work with your table groups to annotate Source #2 and #3, using the Bookmark as a guide. We will come together frequently to discuss our thoughts and to fill in out Investigation packet (attached in Wednesday’s post).

We will continue to contemplate our Central Question:

Attached are the slides from today’s portion of the Investigation:

Please keep in mind: We need to be using our time very wisely as we proceed with this investigation, since tomorrow we will be limited on time. Have a good and productive day!

Working towards the halfway point of the week!

9/18 Quick Write:

Today we is the first day of our Inquiry Investigation! Over the week, we will be using the Bookmark tool from yesterday to read, annotate and consider three sources, all of which focus on a mysterious artifact: the Roman Dodecahedron.

Our Central Question for this Investigation is:

Considering the Central Question, at the end of the project we will address the following scenario:

Today we will simply review the Bookmark and annotate Source 1 together. Here are the slides for each step of the process, as well as the Investigation Packet we will be annotating and filling out throughout the week.

Have GREAT day!

Hello, happy Tuesday!

9/17 Quick Write:

Today is Constitution Day so we will take a look at one of the most recited parts of the United States Constitution: the Preamble.

While we examine the Preamble, you will be introduced the one of the reading tools we will be using in our upcoming Inquiry Investigation: The Bookmark. We will use this Bookmark extensively throughout this week, and today I will show you the different sections and aspects of the tool.

We will read through the Preamble, thinking about the Central Question: What were the authors’ purpose in writing the Preamble?

Using the Bookmark to guide us, we will try to establish a CLAIM as to why the Preamble was written, have EVIDENCE from the Preamble to back ourselves up, and explain our REASONING of the evidence.

Take a took at these slides to see the Bookmark introduction and our work with the Preamble.

Here is the Preamble handout:

Cheers, have a good day!

I hope you enjoyed your unexpectedly long weekend! No fear, the electricity is back on and we are ready to rumble!

Please note:

1. We will be continuing our NWEA testing today in the morning, and then make-ups are on Tuesday.
2. We have a Half Day this Friday!

9/16 Quick Write is below. You will be turning in your Quick Writes from last week… there should be FOUR!

Unfortunately, we have to switch up our lessons a bit, because of the surprise day off. We are progressing from Cave Paintings to our first Critique Investigation of the year (there will be five!).

This “Investigation” is part of the U of M study that I mentioned to you all a couple weeks ago. Remember, this study is to help ME become a better teacher, and will not involve your name or information whatsoever. The work you produce throughout this project will be examined in order to help me improve my instruction– your name won’t be included!

To prepare for Investigation #1, today in class we will remind ourselves on what it means if something or someone is RELIABLE, or trustworthy. We will do a short activity involving a Food Fight scenario to discuss why some authors or sources are trustworthy, and others are not.

Below is the chart we will be filling out in class:

Take a look at today’s slides below to refresh yourself on what a reliable source looks like.

Welcome back!

Over halfway through the week!

9/12 Quick Write:

Today we will be discussing ancient peoples. We are deliberating over the central question: How do Historians interpret the past?
Essentially, we have a lot of ideas about what happened to people many thousands of years ago… but how do we know these things? None of us were alive back then, and we can’t ask anyone who was there… they all have been dead for many, many years. So how do we know where modern humans and societies came from?

There are many theories and beliefs about modern humanity. You all are free to have your own beliefs– 1st amendment in action! For this class, we are going to focus on what the scientific community at large has hypothesized.

To document and celebrate life is a common characteristic across the world, as well as throughout millenniums. We will start this Chapter by examining what ancient people have physically left behind– starting with their paintings! We will look at examples of ancient cave paintings, and discuss the sorts of information we can glean, or get, from them.

After looking at real life examples, we will create our own! Using the instructions below, you will create a painting to represent you and your family using only symbols (because remember– there were no written languages yet!)

You need to be as neat and precise as possible because we will be using these to complete a gallery walk tomorrow!

Have a good evening!

9/11 Quick Write is attached.

Today we have a full class period, which will give us time to finish up the gallery walk we started yesterday. You will continue to work on the handout attached below (2 pages)… you need all 7 vocab definitions! Then you will ask 7 different peers questions and record their answers on the same sheet. This is to help familiarize ourselves with the language we will be using together. We all need to be on the same page during class discussions so we all need to use the same definitions!

Ch. 1 vocab is attached in yesterday’s post on Google Classroom.

Have a good day!

Happy Tuesday!

9/10 Quick Write:

Today we are doing a gallery walk throughout the classroom. You will be given the handout below, and asked to find the definitions of Ch. 1 vocab words (7 words!). Then you will ask 7 different peers questions and record their answers on the same sheet. This is to help familiarize ourselves with the language we will be using together. We all need to be on the same page during class discussions so we all need to use the same definitions!

Have a good day!