World War II, Industrialization, and Rabbits: Far from Lennie and Closer to 7th and 8th Grade Social Studies

There is this rabbit in our backyard. For the last couple of weeks, we have been doing a fairly credible job of feeding this rather cute creature. (I think reading "Of Mice and Men" has had an effect on me.) Given the Science Fair on Thursday and Tommy Guns on Friday, I sort of fell behind on feeding him or her (Cannot seem to tell.) This morning, I awoke and set out to feed the rabbit. Yet, I was stopped at seeing the small creature feeding himself or herself. The little creature was standing on its hind legs and eating off of the branches. The rabbit was able to seize the initiative and achieve success when a situation became challenging. When confronted with the question of "What do you do when you don't know what to do," the rabbit's actions answered with a lucid assertion: Do something. *There is a Lennie joke here somewhere.

There is relevance to our 7th and 8th graders.

8.3 Students- One day moratorium to submit work from Chapter 23 expires on Monday at 3:30. I want to publicly credit and acknowledge the many who adhered to their own deadlines. Very stellar job of standing by your word. For this week, Students should make sure that progress is made on the Chapter 24 reading Monday and Tuesday nights and with station rotation on Wednesday and Thursday. The Holocaust Unit starts next week. World War II essays are assigned on Monday, 4.9 and due on Friday, 4.13.

7.3 Students- Technology Assessments on Chapter 11 are due on Tuesday night, while the Chapter 11 Assessment for the Option 1 people will take place on Wednesday. Chapter 12 work should be started on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

In this one instance, as we reach the point of the year where the work becomes more difficult and student advocacy must rise to meet such demands, I can only implore our students to absorb the lessons of the rabbit.
All best, you rabbits of scholarship.

Syllabus for 7.3 Social Studies

Week of 4.2 - 4.6

Mr. Kannan- Email: akannan@op97.org

Blog Address: http://op97-kannan783.blogspot.com/

Monday: Review Chapter 11. Make sure memories are jogged and clarity is evident.	HW: All technology work is due to me tomorrow. Chapter 11 Assessment is on Wednesday.
Tuesday: Introduce Chapter 12: The Renegade of Change. Outline particular options and requirements for Chapter 12.	HW: Technology People- Your work is due today. Chapter 11 Assessment is tomorrow for textbook people.
Wednesday: Assessment on Chapter 11/ Start reading Chapter 12.	HW: Keep pace with reading and requirements in Chapter 12. See packet.
Thursday: In class work on Chapter 12. Keep pace with requirements and reading.	HW: Keep pace with reading and requirements in Chapter 12. See packet.
Friday: Board Holiday- No School.	HW: Keep pace with reading and requirements in Chapter 12. See packet.

Syllabus for 8.3 Social Studies

Week of 4.2- 4.6

Mr. Kannan- Email: akannan@op97.org

Blog Address: http://op97-kannan783.blogspot.com/

Monday: Work on Chapter 24 Notetaking Guides.	HW: Finish Notetaking Guides on Chapter 24, sections 1 and 2.
Tuesday: Continue to work on Notetaking Guides.	HW: Finish Notetaking Guides on Chapter 24, sections 3 and 4.
Wednesday: Last day to finish Notetaking Guides. Start on Station Rotation.	HW: Finish work on stations started in class.
Thursday: Conclude Station Rotation.	HW: Finish remaining work at stations.
Friday: Board Holiday- No School.	HW: Finish work at stations. At this point all notetaking guides are done and all stations are completed.

Wiki Completion, Poverty, and Industrialization: All before Spring Break

With the four days before Spring Break starts, some basic notes need to be noted.
7.3 Students-
* Wiki pages need to be done by Tuesday at 7:00 PM- If problems with technology presents themselves, please speak with me individually and privately. Please click here for the wiki.
*Students need to start reading chapter 11 this week with section 1 being read on Monday and sections 2 and 3 on Tuesday with section 4 on Wednesday. Students will need to select a textbook option, a collaborative station rotation option, or a technology option. Students select this Wednesday. Technology options are due on 4.3 and textbook work is due on 4.4.

8.3 Students
* Monday morning at 8:00 AM, my room will be open for anyone who wishes to finish their assessment.
* Students will be working on their chapter 23 Assessments this week. Students will determine their deadline for submitting work and this will be noted in the online gradebook. Students should adhere to their own deadlines.
* Make sure if you are attending Tommy Guns on Friday, you assemble your costume and know your facts about your individual.
For 8th graders, some of these sites might help you with your Bag of Poverty:
* If you are looking for a link about modern poverty, check out the news segment here.
* If you are looking for a link about people of color during the Great Depression, here is a link to a Langston Hughes poem that is one of his best. This is a dramatic reading of the poem from Danny Glover. (Guess who does the introduction.)
* A link to the description of social realism can be found here.

Syllabus for 7.3 Social Studies

Week of 3.19- 3.23

Mr. Kannan- Email: akannan@op97.org

Blog Address: http://op97-kannan783.blogspot.com/

Monday: In class work day on Wiki.	HW: Start reading chapter 11, section 1.
Tuesday: Outline options for chapter 11 and requirements.	HW: Finish reading chapter 11. Work on pertinent people and word wizard elements.
Wednesday: Declare option selected. Work on Chapter 11 tasks and assignments.	HW: Continue work in Chapter 11, dependent on choices.
Thursday: Finish reading in chapter 11 and start review for Chapter 11 assessment, given upon your return from break.	HW: Technology People- All work is due to me on 4.3. Textbook people, your assessment on Chapter 11 is on 4.4.
Friday: No Class.	HW: See above deadlines. Do not lose your work on Chapter 11. This is the only real homework you have for break. Your assessments await your return.

Syllabus for 8.3 Social Studies

Week of 3.19- 3.23

Mr. Kannan- Email: akannan@op97.org

Blog Address: http://op97-kannan783.blogspot.com/

Monday: Outline options on chapter 23. Make your call and start working on it.	HW: Chapter 23 Assessment due when student decides. Abide by your deadline.
Tuesday- Friday: In class work on Bag of Poverty or alternate assessment. Chapter 23 Assessment due when student decides. Abide by your deadline.	HW: Chapter 23 Assessment due when student decides. Abide by your deadline.
Friday: Tommy Guns.

Composing a Wiki and starting on a bag of poverty: Is this fun or what?

With ISATs done, our focus has to be the last 11 weeks of the year. So much will be decided with so much to be done. I can only stress to all students that it is imperative to not lose sight of all that needs to completed. The only way through this is with nightly work, consistent effort, and a desire to both want to do well and a willingness to "pay the price" in order to do so. To this end, I wish our students nothing but the best in this endeavor.
8.3 Students- Please bring in your money for Tommy Guns as soon as possible.

8th Graders should click here for the Bag of Websites on John Steinbeck and Of Mice and Men!

7th Graders should click here for the Wiki on Thomas Jefferson!

Syllabus for 7.3 Social Studies

Week of 3.12- 3.16

Mr. Kannan- Email: akannan@op97.org

Blog Address: http://op97-kannan783.blogspot.com/

Monday: Assign Chapter 9, sections 3 and 4 Questions.	HW: Review for Assessment on Chapter 9, sections 3 and 4 on Thursday.
Tuesday: Take questions on chapter 9. Introduce Wiki Assignment.	HW: Review for Assessment on Chapter 9 tomorrow. STUDENTS WHO LACK REGULAR AND CONSISTENT ACCESS TO THE INTERNET MUST MAKE TIME TO COME IN DURING THE MORNING OR DURING LUNCH TO WORK ON WIKI.
Wednesday: Pi Day. *Pull words in the locker bays at 4th period.	HW: Finish Prewrite and log on to wiki to preview it.
Thursday: Take Assessment. Start on Wiki. All Wiki pages due on Sunday at 5:00 PM.	HW: Work on Wiki. All Wiki pages are due on Sunday at 5:00 PM.
Friday: Work on Wiki. All Wiki Pages due on Sunday at 5:00 PM.	HW: All Wiki Pages due on Sunday at 5:00 PM.

Syllabus for 8.3 Social Studies

Week of 3.12- 3.16

Mr. Kannan- Email: akannan@op97.org

Blog Address: http://op97-kannan783.blogspot.com/

Monday: Make sure everything is clear. Stamps today. Tie up loose ends and then Review Harlem Renaissance.	HW: Make sure you know who you are going to be for Tommy Guns. Make sure you have completed as much work as possible for your stamps. Thursday and Friday are last days for Stamps. Tickets collected Friday.
Tuesday: Why the 1920s came to an end. Textbook reading in class. Yes, we are going back to being like everyone else for one day… at least.	HW: Assessment on 1920s Thursday.
Wednesday: Pi day. Review for Assessment by Checking online under “Daily Notes Uploads” on Team Website.	HW: Assessment on 1920s tomorrow.
Thursday: Assessment for 1920s.	HW: Assessment continues tomorrow.
Friday: Assessment concludes. Start looking over 1930s options.	HW: Costume up for Tommy Guns- Last weekend to do so and review 1930s options.