Mr. Waxler's Class

Hi,

This week we will start our next unit: The Constitution in a New Nation.  The main focus of the week will be on the failure of the Articles of Confederation (the first written plan of government in the United States).

Have a great week!

Homework

Monday (12/7)
Based on today’s lesson, list the five most serious weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Tuesday (12/8)
Complete closure questions 1-6 from today’s “Coat of Arms” activity.

Wednesday (12/9)
Complete closure questions 1-5 from today’s activity on the Articles of Confederation.

Thursday (12/10)
No Homework

Friday (12/11)
No Homework

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Hi,

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend!

This week we will wrap our unit on the Revolutionary War.  Monday and Tuesday will be spent on the last major battle of the war (Battle of Yorktown) and the treaty that ended the war (Treaty of Paris: 1783).

On Wednesday we will tie up some loose ends by focusing on the role that African-Americans played in the Revolutionary War.  On Wednesday I will also give students their 5-week grade for social studies (the grade they will receive on their Progress Report).  Students will then revisit their 2nd quarter goal and revise (if necessary) their plan to achieve their 2nd quarter goal.

On Thursday, we will review for Friday’s exam on the American Revolution.

Homework

Monday (11/30)
* Complete Geography worksheet: The Siege of Yorktown
* Complete worksheet reading and questions: The End of the War

Tuesday (12/1)
No Homework

Wednesday (12/2)
No Homework

Thursday (12/3)
* Study for test
* Ticket-to-the-Test: This is an optional homework assignment. Students are to create their own test questions AND answers (minimum of 10) based on the content of the unit. Those students who create the Ticket-to-the-Test can hand it in BEFORE the test and receive 3 bonus points.

Friday (12/4)
Test Today ~ No Homework

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Hello,

This week in social studies will continue examining various battles, major events, and people of the Revolutionary War.  Some of the topics for this week and next will include: Valley Forge, the Battle of Saratoga, and the Treaty of Alliance.

Next week we will wrap our unit on the Revolutionary War with a test towards the end of that week.

Have a great week and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Homework

Monday (11/23)
Pretend you are a soldier in the Continental Army encamped at Valley Forge.  Write a letter back home telling about your experiences at Valley Forge.

Tuesday (11/24)
No Homework

Wednesday – Friday (11/25 – 11/27)
Thanksgiving Break!

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This week in social studies we will continue examining various battles, major events, and people of the Revolutionary War as the students work on their “Major Battles” map.  As we complete the map we will stop to view various video clips, analyze important primary source documents, and evaluate the decisions that were made during the war from both the American and British perspective.

**All students should have their colored pencils with them everyday

Homework

Monday 11/16
Answer questions in packet based on the Declaration of Independence.

Tuesday 11/17
No Homework

Wednesday 11/18
No Homework

Thursday 11/19
Write a 1 paragraph journal entry from the perspective of a patriot.  Write about your feelings towards the war and General Washington prior to the Delaware Crossing.

Friday 11/20
No Homework

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Hope everyone had a great weekend!

As you know, due to the field trips last Friday I was forced to postpone the test on the causes of the American Revolution to this Monday. Once the test is completed there are a couple of more things we need to do before we get into the battles and major events of the war.  On Tuesday, we will start by analyzing the primary source Common Sense written by Thomas Paine at the beginning of the war.  This important document convinced many Loyalists to become Patriots and fight for independence.  On Thursday, students will compare the strengths and weaknesses of the British and the Americans at the beginning of the war.  By Friday, we will start examining various battles, major events, and people of the Revolutionary War.  Students will work on a “Major Battles” map over the course of next couple of weeks.  As we complete the map we will stop to view various video clips, analyze important primary source documents, and evaluate the decisions that were made during the war from both the American and British perspective.

Homework

Monday (11/9)
Test Today – No Homework

Tuesday (11/10)
Complete questions based on Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense.

Wednesday (11/11)
Veterans’ Day – No School

Thursday (11/12)
Write a battle strategy for either the British or the Americans based on three areas of comparison from today’s lesson.

Friday (11/13)
No Homework

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For most of this week in social studies we will continue to study the causes of the American Revolution.  On Monday, we will examine the Boston Massacre from both the Patriot and Loyalist perspectives.

However, on Tuesday, we will take a break from this unit to participate in an activity sponsored by the Manatee County Chammber of Commerce’s Education and Workforce Partnership Committee.  The name of the program is Real Life 101 and it utilizes business volunteers who present a hands-on activity that stresses work ethics such as teamwork, reliability, accountability, and communication through the simulation of a t-shirt company.  They will be presenting to every 8th grade history class in Manatee County for 1 period.

On Wednesday we will get back into our unit on the causes of the American Revolution focusing on how the war starts at Lexington & Concord.

On Thursday, we will review for Friday’s test on the Causes of the American Revolution.  Friday’s test will include an essay in which the students will have to make an argument whether or not they think the colonists were justified in starting a revolution.  Students will have to support their argument with specific events that caused the Revolution.

Homework

Monday (11/2)
Write newspaper editorial about the Boston Massacre from either a Loyalist perspective or a Patriot perspective.

Tuesday (11/3)
No Homework

Wednesday (11/4)
Read textbook pages 142-144 (The First Battles) and answer the following questions:
1. Why were British troops marching to Concord?
2. Who warned the colonists?
3. Where were the first shots fired? Who shot first?
4. How many British were killed or wounded on their way back to Boston?

Thursday (11/5)
* Study for test
* Ticket-to-the-Test: This is an optional homework assignment that I give the night before EVERY test. Students are to create their own test questions AND answers (minimum of 10) based on the content of the unit. Those students who create the Ticket-to-the-Test can hand it in BEFORE the test and receive 3 Bonus points on the test.

Friday (11/6)
Test Today ~ No Homework

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Hi,

Now that we have studied what life was like during colonial times it is time to move into the causes of the American Revolution.  We will start with the French & Indian War as it is the end of that war that really begins the process of dividing the King and his American Colonies.

We will then spend the rest of the week examining various causes of the Revolution and how the colonists reacted to each of those causes.

Homework

Monday 10/26
No School for students

Tuesday 10/27
Complete reading and questions on the French & Indian War

Wednesday 10/28
No Homework

Thursday 10/29
Complete packet: Causes of the American Revolution ~ for each British action students are to write the Colonial reaction.

Friday 10/30
No Homework

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Hi,

Well the colonial brochures are just about finished.  Monday will be last the day to put any final touches on the brochures.  While the brochures are not quite done, I have to say I am quite pleased with what I have seen so far.

The purpose of the brochure project was for the students to become an expert on 1 of the 13 colonies (founder, economy, geography, government, and people).  However, students will also be responsible for knowing information about all 13 colonies so on Tuesday we will do an activity in which students move from station to station examining the student-made brochures from all the colonies.

On Wednesday we will review for Thursday’s test on Colonial Life.

Homework
Monday (10/19)
No Homework

Tuesday (10/20)
Pick 5 colonies studied in class today (other than your own).  Draw one picture for each colony (total of five pictures).  Each picture must represent one aspect of colony life for each colony (founder/reasons for being founded, people, economy, government, geography)

Wednesday (10/21)
Ticket-to-the-Test: This is an optional homework assignment that I give the night before EVERY test. Students are to create their own test questions AND answers (minimum of 10) based on the content of the unit. Those students who create the Ticket-to-the-Test can hand it in BEFORE the test and receive 3 Bonus points on the test

Thursday (10/22)
* Test Today
* No Homework

Friday (10/23) (End of 1st Quarter)
No Homework

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This week we will continue our unit on Colonial Life by starting our first major project of the year…the Colonial Brochure Project.

For this project, the students will be working in-class to create a computer generated brochure on one of the 13 colonies.

Monday will be spent explaining the project, learning about their particular colony, and working on a rough draft.  Once the rough draft is complete, the rest of the project will be done using the computers.  By the beginning of next week students will have completed their computer-generated brochure for their particular colony.

(You can read the brochure guidelines here:
http://www.mrwaxlersclass.com/brochure.pdf)

Once the project is complete, the students will use each other’s brochures to learn about all 13 colonies.

Homework (10/12 – 10/16)
Homework this week will depend on how individual students are proceeding with their project.  For the most part there will not be any homework, unless students start to fall behind.

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