Mr. Waxler's Class

Hi,

This week we will wrap our “min-unit” on Native American Cultures with a test on Tuesday.  Wednesday we will start learning about the Age of Exploration.  We will take a look at the causes of European exploration (particularly the connection between the Renaissance and exploring), as well as the effect that European exploration had on various groups of people.  We will also identify a number different European explorers and their role during this time period.

Homework

Monday 9/12
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.

Tuesday 9/13
*Test Today: Early Native Americans
*No Homework

Wednesday 9/14
No Homework
**Bring in colored pencils for tomorrow’s class

Thursday 9/15
Color map from packet: The Explorers Game (p. 4D)

• Use four different colors for each of the following countries: Portugal, France, Spain, and England
•  Color each country’s colonial land claim with the same color.  Use the chart on 4B to identify the area that each country explored and claimed.

Friday 9/16
No Homework

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This week will start on our next unit: Early Native Americans.  This next unit will be quite short as we will touch upon Native American cultures throughout many of our other units this year.  Actually, much of this unit is really an extension of the first unit on geography as the main focus this week will be on how Native Americans adapted to eight different geographic regions in what is now the United States. It also sets the stage for our next unit on the Age of Exploration as that unit will focus on how European exploration affected various groups of people, particularly the Native Americans.

By Tuesday of next week we should be ready for our second test.  Don’t worry, the class will not simply be test after test, but the first two units just happen to be quite short.

**On Friday, we will spend part of the class period focusing on the terrorist attacks of  9/11/01.  Students will then receive 15 interview questions to interview a person about his or her recollection of September 11, 2001. This person can be a parent, grandparent, teacher etc.

Have a great week!

Homework

Monday 9/5
No School

Tuesday 9/6
Complete worksheet: The First Americans

Wednesday 9/7
Imagine you are a Native American from the specific geographic region you studied in class today.  Write a 1/2 – 1 page journal entry about how you have adapted to your environment.  Your journal entry must be written in the present tense–as if you were there.  Journals must also include:

* The name of the geographic region.

* A description of some of the physical features where you live.

* At least three ways in which you have adapted to your environment.

Do not just list the physical features and adaptations.  Instead, write a creative journal entry that draws from the information learned in class.  Use information from student notes to help you write your journal entry.

Thursday 9/8
Create 1 test question and 1 test answer for each of the geographic regions studied in class today.  Questions must address how Native Americans adapted to the 8 different regions.

Friday 9/9
Interview someone about his or her recollection of September 11th
(Interview Questions)

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First of all, I want to thank everyone who signed up for the email notifications.  By working together I believe your child will have the greatest opportunity for success.

However, please understand that the homework and/or content of any given day is subject to change.  During the course of a lesson students may go through material quicker than anticipated or may “dig” deeper into a subject than originally anticipated.  Good teaching involves making adjustments to lesson plans and assignments when necessary.  Feel free to contact me at any time if you ever have any questions.

Well, the first week got off to a great start!

After focusing the first few days on rules, procedures, and expectations we started our first unit with a review of Geography.  On Friday of last week, students created map “puzzle pieces” and questions that will be used to play a game in Monday’s class. The puzzle pieces will be used to create a large classroom political map.

Tuesday and Wednesday we will move onto examining physical maps.  Students will be identifying and labeling the major physical features (both water and land) in the United States.  Thursday will be spent reviewing everything we have done so far in this unit and students will take their first test of the quarter on Friday.

**Reminder: Thursday is Picture Day**

Homework

Monday 8/29
Complete blank political map:  fill in all 50 states.

Tuesday 8/30
Pick any three physical features (water) from today’s lesson that you would like to visit.  Write down one state the physical feature borders or is located in and the latitude and longitude coordinates for each.  Use the physical map on textbook p. RA4 – RA5 for help.

Example: I would like to visit the Great Salt Lake in Utah (41 N, 112 W)

Wednesday 8/31
Pick any three physical features (land) from today’s lesson that you would like to visit.  Write down one state the physical feature borders or is located in and the latitude and longitude coordinates for each.  Use the physical map on textbook p. RA4 – RA5 for help.

Example: I would like to visit Mt McKinley in Alaska (150 W, 61 N)

Thursday 9/1
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 9/2
Test Today ~ No Homework

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Hello and welcome to Mr. Waxler’s classroom blog. I created this site to help parents (and students) stay informed about what is happening in 8th grade social studies at Haile Middle School.

Each week I will post the homework for the week as well as any other important information pertaining to your child’s social studies class. Whenever homework is not from the textbook (which will be quite often) I will try to make a pdf version available on this site. However, in order to read/download/print those .pdf files you should have the latest version of Adobe Reader. You can download it free right here: Get Adobe Reader FREE!

Also, make sure to sign up for email notifications so you can be automatically notified whenever I update the blog with new homework or other important information.

Best Wishes,
Adam Waxler

Week of August 22nd – August 26th

Of course, Monday & Tuesday will be spent on introductions, class rules, procedures, and a general overview of the class. On Wednesday, students will take a short quiz based on the rules, procedures, and why we study history. Once we get past that, the rest of the week will be spent on our first unit of the year: Geography.

Don’t worry…I know the students spent all of last year studying world geography. The first unit this year will last only about one week and should be mostly a review.

I believe it is important to start with a unit on U.S. geography prior to studying U.S. history as this will help lay the foundation for most everything else the students will learn this year (such as how the colonies developed different cultures and economies, differences between how the colonists and the Native Americans adapted to their environments, differences between the north and the south, the impact on manifest destiny, understanding how major battles unfolded, etc.)

Homework

Monday 8/22
Students and parents should read over Welcome Letter and Syllabus together and sign both.
(pdf version of syllabus)

Tuesday 8/23
Review notes for tomorrow’s quiz on classroom procedures, syllabus, and why we study history.

Wednesday 8/24
No Homework

Thursday 8/25
Complete Coordinate Matching Sheet (pdf version)

Friday 8/26
No Homework

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