US History– Ms. Ulfers' ClassroomDearborn Public Schools

Apr 17th Thursday, April 18th!

Hello! Doesn’t it feel good that today is essentially a FRIDAY!

4/18 Quick Write: I am collecting FOUR Quick Writes today! But no Current Event 🙂

Today we will start to investigate how the US gathered up some more land (territory that would eventually be states like Florida and Texas!). We will read as a class about Westward Expansion while you’re individually taking Cornell Notes.

Today’s reading is posted on Google Classroom. Due to the size of the PDF file, I am unable to load it here. On Google Classroom, the reading is titled: “Ch. 15 Acquiring New Land”

Instructions for Cornell Notes can be found here:

This reading is likely going to take us today and Monday, so don’t forget everything over our 3-day weekend!

Apr 16th Wednesday, April 17th:

Today we are wrapping up our work on transportation advancements. Tomorrow we will connect these advancements to westward expansion!

4/17 Quick Write:

We take vehicles for granted, even though we live in the beloved Motorcity and have the history of the automobile surrounding us. Most of us use cars/trucks/buses everyday, and don’t think twice about it. However, in the 1800s, jumping in the car to go to the grocery store or to zoom across the country wasn’t an option. I want to challenge you to think of transportation through a different lens– a national and capitalistic lens!

We will be wrapping up our brace map today, adding in a summary in which you will choose the most important form of transit that we have discussed and WHY.

In our next activity you will be thinking like a capitalist: it is 1830 and you are a wealthy investor– do you want to invest your capital ($$$) in roads, canals or railroads? Whichever means of transport you choose, you need to be able to EXPLAIN WHY this is a good investment. If time permits, this is due at the end of class.

See instructions below:

Please keep in mind this Wrap Up is a Quiz Grade— worth more than formative assignments (and not weighted quite as much as summative work).

You will also be attaching your Brace Map to your completed Transport Wrap Up when you turn it in.

Apr 15th Tuesday, April 16th!

Today we are changing gears (pun intended) from factories to transportation.

4/16 Quick Write:

You will be completing a Brace Map on the various advancements of transportation during the Industrial Revolution. Keep in mind, the Industrial Revolution lead to improvements of transportation, and these improved forms of transport then spread the Industrial Revolution.

You will create a brace map (Transportation Brace Map) by adding information provided to you during class. We will discuss roads, canals, steamboats, railroads and steam trains. See instructions and structure for the Brace Map below:

See Transportation notes here: Transportation advancement notes

You will keep the Brace Map and use is on our wrap up activity tomorrow.

Apr 14th Monday, April 15th:

Welcome back!

We are already halfway through April– end of the school year will be here in no time! But we have a lot to pack into the next 2 months, so let’s pace ourselves.

If you did not turn in your Current Event on Friday, I am expecting it today, otherwise you will receive a signature.

Keep in mind: NO current event this Friday (since we don’t have school!)

4/15 Quick Write:

Today we are reviewing the Industrial Revolution Cornell Notes that we started on Friday, and that you were to finish as homework. Our emphasis on these notes is to better understand how the increasing number of factories lead to (slight) economic freedom of white women, child labor, the changing structure of the white family unit, and expansion of cities. Our goal is to be able to answer the essential question “American life changed in the early 1800s because/by…” by using any of the following topics as examples: technology, the economy, women’s roles, family structure and cities.

Here are guiding review questions to answer using your Cornell Notes (if your Cornell Notes don’t have the answer, then be sure to add that info to your notes). Industrial Rev Cornell Notes Review

I will collect your Cornell Notes after the review.

Let’s take on this Monday!!

Apr 11th FRIDAY, April 12th:

Yay Friday! I was happy to see so many of you and your families at conferences! Meeting with your families is always a really nice chance for me to get to know yall better, and be a better teacher for you, so thanks for showing up!

You will be turning in your Quick Writes (FOUR if you are in periods 1 & 3, and FIVE if you’re in periods 4, 5, and 6). Plus your Current Event is also due!

4/12 Quick Write:

Today we are reading through some information on the Industrial Revolution. While we discuss the importance of such technological advancements, I want to challenge you to re-define your image of technology– we’re not talking about smart phones and electric cars back in the early 1800s– we’re talking about large machines that make cloth more efficiently, machines that manufacture interchangeable parts (for example, if you take a part two of the same style musket, you could transfer the “interchangeable parts” from one musket to the other and both guns would still work), and steam power. These technological advancements effected more than the economy, but daily life– where people chose to live, how people chose to dress, and even the structure of the family unit.

You will be reading pages 330-335 in our textbook and writing Cornell Notes. Find the reading here: Industrial Revolution Readings 

Cornell Notes instructions are below:

Do yourself a favor and don’t give yourself homework over the weekend: get this done in class!

Apr 10th Thursday, April 11th:

Happy Thursday!

Reminder: conferences are tonight! I am hoping to see you and your family!

4/11 Quick Write:

Today we are becoming more familiar with our new vocab words by creating four Frayer Models. You will randomly be given four words and for each word you will do the following:

• Definition
• Picture
• Example sentence
• Antonyms – what it is not

These will be due AT THE END OF CLASS.

Also, remember, you will be turning in your Current Event tomorrow.

Apr 8th Tuesday, April 9th AND Wednesday, April 10th

Hi all!

Because half of you (periods 1 and 3) will not have class today because of the PSAT, I am combining Tuesday and Wednesday’s posts into one. We are working on the same activity both days.

4/9 Quick Write: (period 4, 5, 6 only)

4/10 Quick Write: (all periods)

In order for us to get started on our new unit, we need to make sure we are all comfortable with the vocab terms we will be using throughout our lessons. On both Tuesday and Wednesday we will be doing a gallery walk throughout the classroom where you will complete the following Unit 4 Vocab notes: Unit 4 Vocab Notes 

You need to be on task during this activity, especially if you’re in period 1 or 3, because, due to testing, you have less time to complete it. You can find the Gallery Walk here: Unit 4 Vocab Gallery Walk

Keep in mind: Current Event is due on Friday!

Apr 7th Monday, APRIL 8th:

Hello! WELCOME BACK!

I’m hoping we’re all rested, rejuvenated, and ready to take on a new unit! We will be covering westward expansion, the industrial revolution, and antebellum (before the civil war) social movements.

4/8 Quick Write:

Be sure to turn in a Current Event today if you didn’t turn one in before Spring Break!

Today, we will get a new seating chart. After finding your new seat, you will be expected to get started on your Quick Write (as always).

As I am sure you know, you will be taking the PSAT on Tuesday. Therefore, before we get started on our new unit, we are going to do some test preparation. We will use the hour to take and review a practice social studies reading test. This is meant to gently get you back into the academic grind after our nice break, as well as refresh some test taking skills before you actually have to take the test.

Mar 28th FRIDAY, March 29th!

Today is a very important day: this is your chance to improve or enhance your understanding of class material which, consequently, will increase your final card marking grade.

3/29 Quick Write: I am collecting FIVE Quick Writes and your Current Event today!

Today is an opportunity to have your grade match how much you’ve learned in class. I have released your Washington and Adams Presidency Assessment scores. For many of you, these scores greatly impacted your grade when I submitted them in the gradebook. Many of you will need to redo the CER section of the test. Look at my individual comments on your responses, as well as consider the following feedback:

When you have completed your test make-ups, you may work on the following assignments.  

• Washington & Adams Presidencies Assessment– make up Washington/Adams test CERs
• L&C Flow Map corrections
• War of 1812 corrections
• Unit finale corrections
• Any other summative or quiz grade assignments

Check Student Connect to see which assignments you could improve. QUICK WRITES AND CURRENT EVENTS ARE NOT A PRIORITY TO MAKE UP. Focus on Quiz and Summative grade assignments.

Have an incredibly relaxing, recharging, enjoyable and SAFE Spring Break!

Mar 28th Thursday, March 28th continued…

Friends!

Here are the Thinking Map templates that you could use for today’s Unit Finale. (Just need to do one!)
Do not forget your summary on the back: “America established its place in the world by…” (list 3 ways)

Brace Map

Circle Map

Tree Map