U.S. History:
Today we restructured our Core classes to accomodate for watching the movie “Glory” from start to finish. Students answered questions about race relations during the civil war as they viewed this 2003 movie.
Following the Movie, each social studies class spent about 20 minutes with me in class discussing the movie briefly and turning in their homework assignment from yesterday (17-2 Assessment)
Digital Productions:
Continued expectation videos.
U.S. History: Today we discussed how war can affect civilian life, especially as it drags on over the years. We read section 17-2 in our textbook as it discusses this topic. Students then had time to work on their Assignment (Assessment questions, p. 511)?
Digital Productions: Worked on Expectation Videos.
Following the reading and class discussion we viewd about 15 minutes of Gods and Generals Homework: None
U.S. History:
Today we read 16-3 which discussed many of the huge battles in the Civil War. Antietam and Shiloh were among them. Along with this, we discussed conditions for soldiers as a carry-over from yesterday.
Following the Class discussion, Students (Accept for 4th Hour) were assigned the Section assessment questions. I turned on another portion of the “Gods and Generals” Movie we have been watching for the remainder of the hour.
Homework: Complete 16-3 Section assessment.
Today we had the annual Career fair for 2 hours in the morning, prior to cycling the kids through our core classes. Because of this, classes were shortened to about 25 minutes each.
U.S. History:
Today we watched another section of God’s and Generals
No Homework
Digital Productions:
Continued work on expectations videos.
U.S. History:
Today we corrected our 16-1 Homework assignment in class. We then read section 16-2 which outlines life for soldiers during the Civil War. We discussed the reasons many soldiers went to fight, and talked about how their initial ideas of what fighting would be like were very far from the realities that they found when they got there.
Most classes had wonderful discussions because many of the students have loved ones serving overseas today.
Homework: None
Digital Productions:
Today students continued work on expectations videos.
U.S. History:
Today, students were given time to work on their Section 16-1 Assessment Questions after we finished reading and discussing the opening of the war. In our discussion we talked about which side had the most advantages in terms of resources (North) and which side had the most reason to fight (South because they were fighting for freedom and their chosen way of life and their homes).
We then viewed the second portion of “Gods and Generals.”
Homework: Complete 16-1 Assessment Questions for tomorrow.
Digital Productions:
Continued work on Expectations videos.
Wow! It’s May Already!
U.S. History:
Today we took a look at the beginning of the Civil War. We viewed a short portion of the movie “Gods and Generals” and read most of the first section of Chapter 16.
Homework: None
Digital Productions:
Today we filmed two more expectations videos. I was very impressed with the class’ ability to shoot the videos in one take! Nice job, we must be getting better.
U.S. History:
The long awaited Chapter 14 & 15 History test was today. I’m hopeful that students did well on it, based solely on the positive reaction many of them had to the test. It was a difficult test, and it is the first test all year where multiple students told me it was easy. Lets hope they got their questions right 
I also had a much higher proportion of students say they studied than usual. This is always a great sign for higher test scores.
Homework for the Weekend: None
Digital Productions: In 6th hour we continued our expectation videos.
U.S. History:
Today was the final Test review session for the Chapter 14 & 15 Test. We looked over terms that will be covered on the test. Discussed the many reform movements from Chapter 14, and talked about the causes of the tension between North and South leading up to the Civil War.
Homework: Study for the Test
Digital Productions:
Continued work on the expectation videos.
