The New Year Welcomes with Intense Challenges

I wish all of our students a hearty "Welcome back." There is little doubt that all of our students are excited and passionate about their returns. I am sure they have been eagerly anticipating returning to Julian and I know that they are truly excited to come back to B Wing, 4th Floor.

Ok, that might be overselling it a bit.

In any event, the new year brings with it some intensely formidable challenges for all of our students. Seventh graders will be tackling the Constitution along with the Exam to accompany it. Eighth graders will wrap up Progressivism in one week and then head into the First World War. It is a great time for us, filled with field trips to DuSable Museum for the 7th grade and Tommy Guns' Garage for the 8th graders. All of our students will have to focus on work completion and ensuring that time is not wasted in making sure they are not "left behind." (ISATs are coming up soon, right?)

Work for 7.3 Students- Week of 1.9- 1.13
Monday and Tuesday- 20 IT FITS Cards due Wednesday. In class time on Monday and Tuesday to work on completion.
Wednesday- Introduce Constitution through Inductive Learning Task.
Thursday- Introduce Preamble and Goals of the Constitution. Start memorizing Preamble.
Friday- Discuss goals and introduce Principles to the Constitution. Continue memorizing Preamble.
** If anyone needs to make up Chapter 7 quiz given on last week of break, they must make lunchtime appointment with me before Friday the 13th.

Work for 8.3 Students- Week of 1.9- 1.13
Monday- Introduce Progressivism. Read first two sections of chapter 19. Finish enrichment sheet on "Crony Capitalism," due Tuesday at the start of class. (If internet access is a concern, arrive to the Media Center or come in Monday or Tuesday during lunch.)
Tuesday- Introduce Themes for Progressivism Unit. Compose three identifications from last night's reading.
Wednesday- Discuss themes and introduce projects with expectations. Finish reading Chapter 19, two additional identifications on the last sections of the chapter. Five identifications due on Tuesday, 1.17.
Thursday and Friday- In class work on projects/ identifications. Five identifications are due on
Tuesday, 1.17 and projects are due on Wednesday, 1.18.

Two new features to this blog will need to be discussed. Each week I will be including a section of the weekly blog entries entitled "Video Extra Credit" and another section entitled "Web Extra Credit." There will be Googledoc forms to be completed if students wish to earn more extra credit. For 8th graders, as the work piles on, the need to stockpile points with these items could be helpful. For 7th graders, the Constitution Exam awaits. I don't think I need to say more about the need to complete extra credit. Of course, the quote of the week extra credit is still present and able to be employed for extra credit, as well.

All best and happy hunting.
Mr. Kannan
Video Extra Credit- You might want to open up a couple of tabs so you can view the video in one tab and then complete the googledoc in another. You might have to jump back and forth between both.
For this week's seventh grade extra credit option via YouTube, click here for the video. After viewing it, click here for the googledoc that needs to be completed for extra credit.

For this week's eighth extra credit option via YouTube, click here for the video. After viewing it, click here for the googledoc that needs to be completed for extra credit.

Web Extra Credit- You might want to open up a couple of tabs so you can view the video in one tab and then complete the googledoc in another. You might have to jump back and forth between both.
This week's website for extra credit can be found here. Examine it, see what is there, and, if there are any interactive activities, go ahead and investigate them. Then, click here for the googledoc that needs to be completed for extra credit.

Best wishes.
Mr. Kannan