Assignments due for the week of November 28th, 2022

Quick Looks at Great Books

We continued discussing Silas Marner and where his life is going. Everyone seems to be having no trouble understanding what is going on as well as learning about the characters that play an important part in his life. We will finish the questions for what you read today and have Quiz #2 next week. For our next assignment, read Part II, Chapters 16-21 (and short “Conclusion”) and answer the study guide questions for the rest of the book. This is now happening sixteen years later, so many changes have taken place. Surprise events happen that surely have not been expected!! Enjoy your read.

Dramatic irony plays a giant role in the reading of Silas Marner. Do this brief review to make sure you understand the term.

PSAT/SAT/ACT TEST PREP

We practiced with a sample reading section and then took the ACT Reading Test. The students did a great job on the English Test last week. Next week, we will take the third of the four tests on the ACT—Math. To prepare for the test, review the procedures on page 47 in your notebooks. Make sure you know how to do these ten problems. If you need help, ask a parent or your math teacher. (I know Mrs. Ohland has been happy to help if you have any questions.)

American History

We did a competitive game review before taking our test on Chapters 7-9 and the review from the first six chapters. Any questions on the review section came from our past two tests. Students can study from their past tests since I put all the correct answers in when I grade them. I think the students knew this material and did well. I will have the tests back to them next week. For our next class, read Chapter 10 in your text and answer the four short Section Reviews. This chapter is only ten pages long, so it shouldn’t be hard to get through it even on a holiday week. 🙂

Watch this short video to learn more about our fifth U.S. President.

U.S. Government

We finished talking about the midterms election and that some of the races are still not called!! We then tried to review and catch up with the lessons they have completed in their notebooks. For next week, complete Lesson 15 (The Supreme Court) on pages 58-60. Here are the answers for Lesson 15 crossword from page 57 in your text. Copy the answers into your notebooks and then do the rest of the pages. This is the third and final branch of the U.S. Government. In class next week, we will have a slideshow with more information on the highest court in the land and become familiar with all of our current justices.

Watch this video to learn more about the Supreme Court building.

Adventures in American Literature

We finished our third section of the novel today, and everyone seems to have a great understanding of the events and characters. We then reviewed some basic facts from literature to make your student a true “Lit Wit”! They did especially well identifying characters and quotes from the greatest work of literature ever—the Bible! We also covered some famous authors we will be reading second semester. Hopefully, they will remember the quotes as we read these authors’ famous works.

For next week, complete The Scarlet Letter by reading the last six chapters (19-24) and answering the study guide questions 43-50. Do the Chronolog on page 17 to review all the events of the book in chronological order. We will continue to review and prepare for the final test, which will be on the following week. Then we will continue in our American literature text with James Fenimore Cooper and Washington Irving. (Irving is famous for his Christmas stories and traditions.)

Previous Assignments for School Year 2022 – 2023:

• Assignments for 11/21/2022
• Assignments for 11/14/2022
• Assignments for 11/07/2022
• Assignments for 10/31/2022
• Assignments for 10/24/2022
• Assignments for 10/17/2022
• Assignments for 10/10/2022
• Assignments for 10/03/2022
• Assignments for 09/26/2022
• Assignments for 09/19/2022

Assignments due for the week of November 21st, 2022

Quick Looks at Great Books

Great start on understanding our new book, Silas Marner. We discussed all that you read and the characters that you have met. Don’t forget to bring your Literary Terms notebooks to class each week. We WILL get to it in the near future. Two literary terms in today’s reading were “Flashback” and “Dramatic Irony” (one of the three kinds of irony you had in your notebooks). This book gives you a perfect example of the reader’s knowing something that the main characters do not. We will take the quiz on the first seven chapters at the beginning of our next class. For next week, continue reading Chapters 8-15 and answer the corresponding questions. Silas experiences a new change in his life since the theft of his money. You will be reading through Part I. We will begin with Part II next time and finish the book. Part II takes place 16 years later! Wow! What changes will take place!!

Watch this brief description of “Flashback”.

PSAT/SAT/ACT TEST PREP

We went over our quizzes from last week to make sure that no one missed the same errors on the test as they had on the quiz. Then the students received new answer sheets and took the ACT English Test. They will receive those back next week with a scaled score for that section. That will give them an idea of how the new evaluation works. Next week, we will prepare for the Reading Test on the ACT. We will do some practice tests and other reviews before taking the test.

American History

We are now over halfway through this semester’s work in American History. Next week we will have a test on Chapters 7-9. (You should have all the circled items you need to know for each chapter on the final Chapter Review of each lesson.) Also, there will be 15 review questions from the first six chapters. Study your previous tests. All the questions will come from those two tests. It will be a review of the most important events we have covered. You should have the correct answers on your tests. All questions will be matching, multiple choice, or True/False. This is a really important section covering the writing of our Constitution through the War of 1812.

Watch the following video about the War of 1812.

Remember—the Battle of New Orleans, which made Andrew Jackson a famous war hero, was actually fought after a peace treaty was signed!! They just hadn’t heard!!

U.S. Government

We talked about last week’s election and especially the results of issues in Michigan. Unbelievable that we still don’t know the status of Representatives in the U.S. House after a whole week!! I told students that they should turn in the current count so far, and by next week, hopefully, there will be a definite majority. In the Senate race, we won’t know the final count until after Dec. 6 since Georgia will have a run-off between the the top two candidates. Neither received 50% of the vote, so, according to Georgia law, they must have a run-off. We’ll see what the final result is after the December vote.

Next week, we will have a quiz on the Electoral College. Study the sheet of notes we went over from the slideshow we did. Also watch the following video to review what you saw in the slideshow and and a few other points as well.

Also, for next week, do Lessons 13 (Immigration) and 14 (Citizenship) in your Government notebooks. Here are the answers for Immigration Lesson 13 and Citizenship Lesson 14 (pages 49 and 53). Once you have the Crossword answers, complete pages 50-52 and pages 54-56. It’s a real process that immigrants must go though to complete the Naturalization process! This is topic currently in the news today!

Adventures in American Literature

We continued our discussion of the second assignment in The Scarlet Letter. The students really did well even though they thought they were confused! 🙂 We took Quiz #2 after we had gone over the chapters and the study guide questions. For next week, continue your reading with Chapters 13-18 and study guide questions 30-42. We also played a game to review some of the authors we will study and their works and also authors that our writers patterned themselves after.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2022 – 2023:

• Assignments for 11/14/2022
• Assignments for 11/07/2022
• Assignments for 10/31/2022
• Assignments for 10/24/2022
• Assignments for 10/17/2022
• Assignments for 10/10/2022
• Assignments for 10/03/2022
• Assignments for 09/26/2022
• Assignments for 09/19/2022

Assignments due for the week of November 14th, 2022

Quick Looks at Great Books

We had a great review of the entire book (A Tale of Two Cities) today. We took the final quiz and went over it, discussed the characters and applied some of our literary terms, discussed the themes, and ended with a competitive game review. I think all of the students understood the characters and events in the book. I’m expecting great grades on the final test! 🙂

For next week, begin our new book, Silas Marner by George Eliot. Read Chapters 1-7 and answer the corresponding questions in the study guide. There are lots more questions per chapter in this study guide. If you can’t answer them all, look over all of them and be ready with any questions you may have. We will go over all of the chapters and study guide questions before we take the quiz. If you don’t have your book yet, you can start reading the book online or choose to listen to the audio version. It’s free since it is a classic and in the public domain. Let me know if you have any questions or need to borrow one of my copies of the book.

Don’t forget to bring your Literary Terms notebook to class for the next few weeks so that we can go over the terms that you have done. Note the author’s use of “Flashback” in the chapters you read this week.

PSAT/SAT/ACT TEST PREP

The students received another copy with answers to our last math test to keep in their notebooks for review. The PSAT test was now completed, and each student received a scaled score for both halves of the test and a final overall score for the total test. We went over last year’s national scores so that they would know how their score compares. Then we began practicing for the English section of the ACT test. We have done practice exercises of sample tests, so they will know what to expect on the actual test. We did another review and then took a quiz to practice some of the grammar errors that are always tested on the ACT. We also took a quiz that was specifically on the 12 Classic Grammar Errors on the ACT. I will pass those quizzes back next week so that they will not miss the same things again. Next week, we will take the timed (45 min.) English ACT Test. Study particularly pages 40 and 41 in your notebooks to review those errors. Remember that if you master these errors that always appear, you will have a much improved score!

American History

We reviewed Chapter 7 and then took a short quiz on many important points decided by the founding fathers in the Constitutional Convention. We also discussed Chapter 8, and the students were given the terms and people to know in that chapter.

For next week, read Chapter 9 and answer the four section review questions in your notebooks. No quiz next week. We will review Chapter 9 and begin the review for our next test over Chapters 7-9. Chapter 9 covers the years of Thomas Jefferson, so we’re now in the terms of our third national President.

U.S. Government

Great job today sharing your thoughts on the proposals that are on our ballots and sharing specific information about the races you researched! I can’t wait to read all the information you found! Hopefully, you will be able to answer any questions your parents may have. 🙂

Our next assignment involves your participation and work on Election Night. If you do not have access to a TV, you can always find the results of elections online. Check RealClearPolitics or FoxNews Politics if you’re not sure where to look. If you have other commitments tomorrow night, you cans watch news shows the next day or check online.

You were given two sets of worksheets to record election results. One was for the Senate, and one was for the House of Representatives. Since there is a blank page on the back of the second page of the House sheets, use that page to record the following Governor’s races: Michigan, New York, Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Wisconsin, Nevada, Florida, and Kansas. There are 36 gubernatorial races up for a vote in 2022. 28 states currently have Republican governors; 22 states currently have Democratic ones.

Keep track of the 34 Senators up for reelection and what the final majority count is for the Senate. Since all of the 435 Representatives are up for reelection (and many of them have multiple races), you just need to keep track of those that change from Democrat to Republican or vice versa. Don’t forget to then record which party is in the majority.

Make it a family night (if you are at home) and watch the returns together. Your parents or siblings can help you with this assignment if needed. Enjoy snacks together as you watch the returns. When we return to class next Monday, all the ballots should be counted, and you should have a majority for each house of Congress. That is why this election is so important. We have proposals on the ballot that would change our state constitution, and the balance of power in Congress is always up for grabs in midterm elections. You also received today an updated Electoral map, based on the 2020 Census. This will be needed for the 2024 Presidential election but also changes Representatives for each state this year. Seven states lost a Representative due to a population shift. Six states gained a Representative while Texas gained two.

Let me know if you have any questions at all and enjoy your time as a family.

Adventures in American Literature

The students received their literature tests back from last week. Then we began our discussion of the first six chapters of The Scarlet Letter. After going over all of the study guide questions, we then took our first quiz on the book. For next week, read Chapters 7-12 and answer study guide questions 15-29. The plot develops further for the four main characters that you have already met. Pearl continues to grow older and pays a visit with her mother to Governor Bellingham’s home. Come ready with any questions you may have, and we will go over all of the reading before the quiz.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2022 – 2023:

• Assignments for 11/07/2022
• Assignments for 10/31/2022
• Assignments for 10/24/2022
• Assignments for 10/17/2022
• Assignments for 10/10/2022
• Assignments for 10/03/2022
• Assignments for 09/26/2022
• Assignments for 09/19/2022

Assignments due for the week of November 7th, 2022

Quick Looks at Great Books

We finished the discussion of the conclusion of A Tale of Two Cities. Once again, Dickens writes an insightful ending!! We went into detail about all of the events and symbolism. Please bring any questions next week before we take our final quiz. We will then review with a competitive game and take our final test. Our next novel will be Silas Marner by George Eliot. You do not need to bring it to class next week, but we will have a reading assignment due the following week. If you have not been able to find a copy of the book, please let me know. I have extra copies of this book that I would be happy to loan you. Just email me, so that I can bring it with me next week.

Since you have no reading assignment this week, we will begin with some of the terms in the Literary Terms notebook that I gave you at the beginning of the year. We have gone over these specific terms as we have gone through many of the passages in A Tale of Two Cities. We will also go over these together in class, so you are sure to understand them. We will find these commonly used terms in other works we read this year. In the pages of your notebook, complete the following lessons: Hyperbole (pages 4 and 5), Metaphor and Simile (pages 10-12), Personification (pages 16-18), Symbol (pages 19-21), Allusion (pages 49-51), and Irony (pages 69-71).

Also, watch these scenes to illustrate what you read as you completed A Tale of Two Cities.

Watch this 60-second recap of the book.

PSAT/SAT/ACT TEST PREP

Today the students received a copy of the correct answers, and an explanation of the way to work the problems to come to the right choice, for last week’s PSAT Math test. Then we took the final PSAT math section, much shorter than the last and no calculator allowed. Next week, I will give them their scaled score for the whole test so that they can compare that with last year’s national results. They can see how they compare to the national average and what areas they need to work on the most. Next, we will begin our practice and preparation for the ACT test. The grading for that standardized test is totally different We will go over that next week as well as do some practice exercises for the English section. It deals mainly with grammar errors, so that will help with the PSAT and SAT tests too. As we review our grammar, study pages 40 and 41 which deal with the twelve classic grammar errors on the ACT test. We will do several practice exercises and take some grammar quizzes to review the often misused rules.

American History

We took our second major test on Chapters 4-6 on the events leading up to the War for Independence and the events of the war as well. Hopefully, the students will improve with each test they take, especially when we do a comprehensive game review like we did last week. We then covered Chapter 7, and they were given the things they need to remember based on the Chapter Review on page 104. Next week, we will have a short quiz on Chapter 7 and all the important information there about the U.S. Constitution. Also, read Chapter 8 for next week and answer the four section review questions in your notes.

U.S. Government

We watched and went over a slideshow called “Understanding the Electoral College” today. What a wealth of information pertaining to the next Presidential election and pertaining to this one as far as how many Representatives each state will get after the 2020 census! I will give the students a current map reflecting the recent changes to the states who lost or gained Representatives due to a loss or gain in population.

For homework, each student should research the three proposals listed on this year’s ballot in Michigan. I want you to turn in to me your findings on what Proposals 1, 2, and 3 actually are about and the changes they are proposing. What do they want to change, and what are the pro’s and con’s of each? The students should know what they think about each of the propositions we must vote on. In addition to that, each student was assigned a tight race in this year’s election to watch. For example, if a student had the Governor’s race in Michigan, he/she should write down who is running and what things each one stands for. What do the pollsters say about who is ahead and why? (Even though they are definitely not always right.) If you were assigned a Senate race in Arizona, you need to find out who is running and what each candidate stands for. (You can’t always tell from the ads!) Decide if one of the candidates is the incumbent (the one who is currently holding that position), or if both of them are competing for the position as newcomers. You should include that research on your homework sheet to turn in. We will also discuss those races in class, and you should be ready to share with the class what you found. You do not need to work together with others who are researching the same race unless you choose to do so. If you decided to do an extra credit project on political ads, those will be due on Nov. 14. Let me know if you have any questions at all.

We took our quiz on the Senate and House of Representatives today. We will prepare for election night next week! Hopefully, you can participate and follow races that night as a family. This election is really important!!

Watch the following video to reinforce what you learned today about the electoral college.

Adventures in American Literature

We had our first test on what we have covered in literature so far this year. Then, we went over the setting, author’s life, and background for The Scarlet Letter. We went over the material they learned from the summary video they watched instead of reading the long, tedious introduction to the book called “The Custom House”.

Also, for next week we will begin the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter. You can read the book or listen to it online if you prefer. Read Chapters 1-6 and answer questions 1-14 in your study guide that you received in class today. We covered many of the Puritan customs and way of life for them so that you will have a good understanding of the setting of the book. We will have a discussion of all the chapters you read and will go over the study guide questions and any questions you may have. Then, we will have a quiz that will tell if you read and understood those chapters. Be sure to have any questions ready to help with your understanding.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2022 – 2023:

• Assignments for 10/31/2022
• Assignments for 10/24/2022
• Assignments for 10/17/2022
• Assignments for 10/10/2022
• Assignments for 10/03/2022
• Assignments for 09/26/2022
• Assignments for 09/19/2022

Assignments due for the week of October 31st, 2022

Quick Looks at Great Books

We had a detailed discussion of the chapters they have read, explaining some of the points they may have missed. We took our past quiz and are ready for another at the beginning of our next class.

For next week, we are finishing this book by reading Chapters 11-15 in Book 3. Also, answer the study guide questions 73-80. Dickens planned lots of excitement and suspense in these last chapters, along with a bit of humor if you see it!! Be prepared for surprises and disguises!! Enjoy the ending of this book.

Watch this scene that you read about from the last trial of Charles Darnay.

PSAT/SAT/ACT TEST PREP

Each student received a detailed copy of the answers for the Writing and Language portion of the PSAT test. They can add that to their notebooks to study and review before they actually take this test. (Perhaps free, in April) Then we took the longer section of the Math test on which they could use a calculator to save time and mistakes on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. If students had any questions on problems, consult a math teacher or parent for advice. You can also return to Khan Academy for more practice in math. Next week, we will take the final section of the PSAT test. This test does not allow a calculator, so they don’t have to bring it with them next week. It is only 25 minutes, so we will start on preparing for the ACT test next.

American History

We did a thorough review of Chapters 4-6 in a game review in class. Then the students reviewed the Revolutionary War with a card game intended for that purpose. Hopefully, that will help students review for next week’s test. Everything included in our first review game will be on the test in Matching, Multiple Choice, or True/False format. In addition to studying what we reviewed today, also read Chapter 7—“The Critical Period and the Constitution”. Answer the questions in the four section reviews. I will go over the chapter review with the class and tell them what they need to know from that chapter. We will add another chapter (8) next week, which will launch the new government that was just formed.

U.S. Government

The students received last week’s graded quiz and then went over the lessons on Voting, Republican Party, and Democratic Party. We also discussed the origins of political parties and the symbols for each party. Next week, we will have a quiz on the Senate and the House of Representatives, which we reviewed today. (Lessons 6 and 7) Also, review Lesson 5 on Congress in general since it affects both the Senate and House of Representatives. For next week as well, complete Lessons 11 and 12 (pages 42-44 and pages 46-48) These lessons on the President and the Vice-President will teach us the duties and terms of the Executive Branch. Here are the answers for The President Lesson 11 and The Vice President Lesson 12. It’s getting exciting as we approach the midterm election in just two weeks! Try to watch some of the election ads that will bombard our television screens in the next two weeks. We will go over a slide show next week in preparation for the upcoming election and discuss the changes in Representatives as a result of the 2020 census.

Watch this video to review for next week’s quiz.

Adventures in American Literature

We finished our reports today and watched a video of some of America’s folk heroes and legends. We also reviewed for our first test next week. Review the literary terms you were given, the writers we have studied so far, and some of the main folk legends we covered. The test will be all matching.

Be sure to secure a copy of The Scarlet Letter if you do not have one. You can always check it out at any library. You will not need it in class next week, but you will have an assignment for the following week. Next week, you will receive a study guide for the book which we will go over together. You do not need to read the introductory chapter for the book, entitled “The Custom House”. Watch the following video for a summary of the chapter to prepare you for the book itself. The language and details in that preface are a bit difficult to plow through in the book.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2022 – 2023:

• Assignments for 10/24/2022
• Assignments for 10/17/2022
• Assignments for 10/10/2022
• Assignments for 10/03/2022
• Assignments for 09/26/2022
• Assignments for 09/19/2022

Assignments due for the week of October 24th, 2022

Quick Looks at Great Books

We finally caught up on our discussion with our reading!  We have now almost finished going over Book 2.   Many seemed to know who the golden thread referred to!  We took last week’s quiz and will take the one on Chapters 20-24 at the beginning of our next class.

We are now beginning our last stretch, Book 3 — The Track of a Storm.  (I think you know what that means!)  Read Chapters 1-10 and answer questions 59-72 in your study guide.  Things are moving quickly as the Revolution progresses, and many characters are intertwined.  Tensions rise and bad things tend to happen!  Enjoy.

Watch this scene from the storming of the Bastille.  Do you notice the Defarges at the head of all the action.  Senseless violence!!

PSAT/SAT/ACT TEST PREP

We went over last week’s quizzes and filed them for future reference.  We also finished the practice Writing section on pages 34 and 35 in your notebooks.  (“Resumes”)  Hopefully, that helped prepare them for the full timed Writing Test they took in class today.

Next week, we will take the first, longer section, of the PSAT Math Test.  We will spend time going over the formulas given as well as go over how to handle the four “grid in” answers on the test.

DO NOT FORGET TO BRING A CALCULATOR TO CLASS NEXT WEEK FOR THIS TEST!!

To practice for next week’s test, go to Khan Academy.

Do practice questions in each of the four areas:

1. Heart of algebra
2. Problem-solving and data analysis
3. Passport to advanced math
4. Additional topics in math

Once you have set up a “Learner” account on this site, you can practice full SAT tests any time you would like.  (Free, of course)  They have a whole section to practice for the SAT and PSAT.

American History

Study for a test on Chapters 4-6.  This is about the events that led up to the War for Independence as well as the war itself in Chapter 6.  Study the things I gave you at the end of each chapter.  You most certainly do not need to remember everything in the chapter—just those I gave you in each Chapter Review.

We will do a competitive game review next week and play another Revolutionary War game to review basic facts.

Watch this video to review the events of the war.  Pay special attention to those names, places, and terms I told you to know.

U.S. Government

The students did a fantastic job on the quiz from last week. I’m sure they did a good job on today’s quiz as well!  We began going over lessons that we had not had time to check yet.  We went through the lessons on the Senate and the House of Representatives.  Next week, we will go over the Voting lesson in preparation for our upcoming election.  For next week, complete Lessons 9 and 10 about the two major political parties in the United States.  (Pages 34-36 and pages 38-40)  I’m attaching the answers for Lesson 9 and Lesson 10.  Just copy the answers onto pages 33 and 37 in your notebooks.  We will also discuss the history of our two major parties and their current differences.

Please watch this explanation of political parties.

Adventures in American Literature

Today, we went over the Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Mike Fink, and Davy Crockett pages in your “textbook”.  We answered questions and became familiar with these real and fictional folklore legends in American literature.  SUPER job today on your reports of these legendary characters!  You had lots of details to inform the class about characters they may not have heard about before.  We have two reports yet to finish next week.

You were given a list of literary terms to put in your notebook, which we will be working on throughout the year.  Next  week, we will begin reviewing for our first test, including some of these terms that will appear in a matching section.

Also, for next week, choose an aphorism of Ben Franklin’s from page 36 and then do the following for the aphorism you have chosen.  First, draw (or copy from online or another source) a picture to illustrate the saying, then give the literal meaning, the idea expressed, and then a specific real life example.  See a detailed explanation of aphorism to follow when you do it.  This is an assignment to be handed in for a grade.  Email if you have any questions at all.

Watch the following song and explanation of Peg Leg Joe’s life and work.

Folk song and Negro spiritual

Explanation of the meaning in the song

Sweet Betsy from Pike (Great example of a ballad) Thanks, Chloe

Previous Assignments for School Year 2022 – 2023:

• Assignments for 10/17/2022
• Assignments for 10/10/2022
• Assignments for 10/03/2022
• Assignments for 09/26/2022
• Assignments for 09/19/2022

Assignments due for the week of October 17th, 2022

Quick Looks at Great Books

We had to go over la lot to finish last week’s reading and also to watch it on the DVD.  (BBC version of the book)  We then took the quiz on Chapters 1-9.  We will continue our explanation next week of Chapters 10-19, beginning with Chapter 13, and then take the quiz on those chapters.  Be sure to have your questions ready if you have trouble knowing what is happening or how to answer the study guide questions.

For next week, you have a shorter amount of reading in chapters and pages.  This would be a good time to catch up if you are behind in your reading.  Reading through Chapter 24 completes Book 2 — The Golden Thread and leaves us with Charles Darnay’s naïveté and rash decision.  In your study guide, complete questions 53-58.  Enjoy the excitement of this section!!!

Watch this brief explanation of literary terms that Dickens uses so often!

PSAT/SAT/ACT TEST PREP

We reviewed today for the PSAT Writing test. (mainly grammar) We went over last week’s quiz, completed pages 28-30 (“Summer Break”), took another quiz on verb usage, did pages 31-33 (“Electroconvulsive Therapy”), and took another quiz on grammar rules we have gone over. The students now know the format of this second half of this PSAT test. To finish our practice for the test, complete the final practice section on pages 34 and 35 (“Resumes”). We will go over the answers next week and discuss any problems you may have had. Then we will take the PSAT Writing timed test to average with the score on the Reading test. Then you can see how you did on the verbal section of the test. Great job on recognizing the grammar errors on today’s practice sections!

American History

Happy Columbus Day!! We discussed again what we had learned about this explorer and how he has been criticized in today’s environment. He is a fearless explorer and a role model for all Italians in America today. We then briefly reviewed for today’s test on Chapters 1-3 and took our first test. We will have a short quiz next week on Chapters 4 and 5 and begin reviewing the major events of the Revolutionary War for our next test. For next week, read Chapter 6—The War for Independence. We will go over all the facts and names you will need to know from the Revolutionary War. Do the section reviews in this chapter.

Watch this overview of the American Revolution to reinforce what you have read.

U.S. Government

We went over our first quiz, expectations, and what the format would be for the second quiz. It takes a little time for students to know what to expect! We took our second quiz today on Lessons 3 and 4, and I’m sure they did even better than last week!

We will have a short quiz next week on the contents of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. There will be no fill-in-the blanks on this quiz. There will be a matching section where they will match certain amendments with the appropriate explanation of that amendment. They should be able to match the content of amendments 1, 2, 4, 5, 13, 15, 18, 19, 21, and 26. They were given detailed descriptions of each amendment in the Bill of Rights and also a sheet on amendments 11-27. Study from those sheets. They also need to number the correct article of the Constitution with its corresponding subject. Article 1–Legislative branch, Article 2–Executive branch, Article 3–Judicial branch, Article 4–Federal and State Governments, Article 5–Changing the Constitution, Article 6–Constitution as the Highest Law, and Article 7—Making it Official (Ratification). There will also be seven True/False questions about material we have discussed.

Besides reviewing for the quiz, complete Lesson 8 on Voting in your notebook. (pages 30-33) I have attached the Crossword answers for page 29. Just copy them into your notebook to help you complete Lesson 8. We will be studying these pages and a lot of other material that I will give the students to prepare for the upcoming election.

Adventures in American Literature

Today we went over the life of Benjamin Franklin. He invented so many things in addition to being a great writer, ambassador, politician, and founding father! We discussed his writing of Poor Richard’s Almanack and the success he achieved. We also talked about Phillis Wheatley’s contribution to our heritage of literature. We finished with Crevecoeur’s comments and observations. Next week, we will work with some of Franklin’s aphorisms.

For next week, we will begin learning about the many tall tales that have become an important part of our literary history. Read and answer the questions on pages 47-48 (Paul Bunyan), page 49 (Johnny Appleseed), and pages 50-51 (Mike Fink and Davy Crockett.) Each person in class was assigned an oral report on a tall tale hero/heroine to tell about to the class. Each profession had its own hero, either legendary or in real life. (however exaggerated) Please let me know if you have any questions about your report. It does not need to be handed in, but just given orally to inform the class about that person and his accomplishments.

Watch this short video about this midwest hero that you read about in this week’s homework.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2022 – 2023:

• Assignments for 10/10/2022
• Assignments for 10/03/2022
• Assignments for 09/26/2022
• Assignments for 09/19/2022

Assignments due for the week of October 1oth, 2022

Quick Looks at Great Books

We finished our discussion and study guide questions on Chapters 5 and 6 of Book 1 and took our first quiz on the book. Then we went over much of today’s reading and will finish next week before our second quiz. It does help to watch the BBC version of this book. You can get a good picture of the characters as well as direct conversations from the book.

Watch this brief explanation of a literary device we talked about today.

PSAT/SAT/ACT TEST PREP

We reviewed some basic grammar rules and examples today after taking a quiz on the verbs you had on the sheet I gave the students in class. We will do some practice Writing tests next week and have two grammar quizzes. One will be on recognizing the correct verb form in each sentence. The other will be on some of the rules we went over today. The practice tests will help you know how to process the Writing section of the PSAT. Go over the rules on pages 24-27 to review.

American History

We took our first quiz today on Chapters 1 and 2. We also reviewed for our test next week on Chapters 1-3. We will go over Chapter 4 that you read for today as well as next week’s chapter. Read Chapter 5 for next week and answer the two section review questions. I will go over what you need to know, especially in the Chapter Review at the end of each chapter.

Watch this brief 3 minute video about The Great Awakening, a significant event in American history and the two key figures involved in it.

U.S. Government

The students took their first quiz today, and even though I haven’t looked at them yet, I think they did really well. We will have a quiz on Lessons 3 and 4 next week. (We went over these in class today. They were also given sheets on the Bill of Rights and Amendments 11-27 of the Constitution) The quiz next week will just be matching of the terms on those lessons (not the specific content of amendments) and the fill-in the-blanks like we had on today’s quiz. We will add three numbers to what you did for this week: Number of U.S. Senators–100, Number of U.S. Representatives–435, and Number of Supreme Court Justices–9.

For next week, also do Lessons 6 and 7 in your notebooks.
(pages 22-24 and pages 26-28) I have included the Crossword answers for The Senate Lesson 6 and The House Lesson 7. (pages 21 and 25)

Watch this special video to distinguish the two houses of Congress.

Adventures in American Literature

Great job discussing some of the “Pre-Revolutionary Days” literature! The songs were typically poems that were meant to be sung—-ballads. For next week, we will discuss the many works of Ben Franklin and others. Some pages we will do together in class. For homework, read the following pages and answer the questions on those pages. Ben Franklin is on pages 31-35, Phillis Wheatley (first female black poet) is on pages 37-40, and Frenchman Crevecoeur’s comments and questions are on pages 41 and 42. You should find the works of Ben Franklin quite interesting. You saw a good portrayal of him in the video we watched today.

Watch this video of the accomplishments of Ben Franklin.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2022 – 2023:

• Assignments for 10/03/2022
• Assignments for 09/26/2022
• Assignments for 09/19/2022

Assignments due for the week of October 3rd, 2022

Quick Looks at Great Books

We finished our review of the French Revolution and had our quiz on the background, or setting, for this book. Then we started with the initial section of A Tale of Two Cities. Remember, this is the most difficult book we read all year, so please ask any questions about characters or events that you don’t understand. We will finish the last two chapters of today’s reading and answer any questions you may have on that section before our quiz next week.

For next week, read Chapters 1-9 of Book 2–The Golden Thread. We will see if you know why it was given that title by the time we finish that section. Also, answer questions 15-31 in your study guide to check your comprehension. Look for lots of new characters and note the difference five years have made! The location is now London, England. You will see Jerry Cruncher, along with his wife, in his home in London. Dickens’s days as a court reporter helped him to accurately describe the trial at Old Bailey.

PSAT/SAT/ACT TEST PREP

We went over the answers to the last two sections of the practice Reading passages in the notebooks. Everyone seemed to do really well! Then we took the actual 60 minute Reading PSAT test. This is for practice and for knowing how to manage the time you have. This was an actual test that was given in the past. Students will receive their graded tests back next week so that they know how they did. At the end of the period, each student received a sheet to study of the principal parts of irregular verbs. We will have a quiz on these next week after we have thoroughly gone over them. Watch particularly the following pairs: lay/lie, raise/rise, and sit/set. You will just need to correct any misuse in the sentences or mark them as “Correct”.

American History

We reviewed everything that would be on our quiz on Lessons 1 and 2 next week and finished going over Chapter 3. We will have a test on the first three chapters on Monday, October 10. We will review for that test next week. Also read Chapter 4 in your textbook and answer the “section” questions in your textbook. (2 sets) We will then continue with the games we played today. If you played with the trivia geography cards today, you will switch to the states and capitals next week. That way, the entire class will work with both sets. You can learn a lot of important material that is not actually in your textbook!

Watch this video that briefly explains the importance of the French and Indian War:

U.S. Government

Great discussion today on the “colorful” life of Gouveneur Morris! We talked about the Constitutional Convention and reviewed for next week’s quiz on Lessons 1 and 2. There will be two matching sections of the terms in Lessons 1 and 2. There will also be a “fill-in-the-blanks” section on the three branches of government. They will need to know the three branches, their function, the two parts of Congress, and the length of the terms of Senators and Representatives. In addition to studying for the quiz, do Lesson 5 in your workbooks. (Congress–pages 18-20) You were given the Crossword answers for page 17 in class today. Hopefully, you wrote the answers onto that page. You will do the remaining pages using those terms. (pages 19 and 20) Let me know if you have any questions.

Watch the following two videos to provide more information on what we discussed.

Constitutional Convention of 1787

Articles of Confederation

Adventures in American Literature

We discussed the two early English colonies today and read some of the journals which became our historical records. We then went over the works of two early poets in America. Edward Taylor was known for his metaphors–comparing two things that may be unsimilar. We also started, through a game, to become familiar with the works and authors in literature.

For next week, we are finishing with some of our earliest forms of American literature by reading some sermons, letters, speeches, and songs. Read Jonathan Edwards famous sermon on pages 19 and 20 and answer the questions on page 20. (He has great illustrations of lots of our literary terms.) Read Abigail Adams’s letters to her husband, which give us a woman’s perspective of the events of the day. (pages 21-24 with questions) Patrick Henry’s famous speech is on page 25, and Thomas Paine’s excerpt and questions are on page 26. Lastly, read the lyrics of the two Revolutionary songs and answer the questions on pages 27-30. We’re almost ready for some of the fun of America’s tall tales!

Watch the following video that illustrates the song “Revolutionary Tea”:

Previous Assignments for School Year 2022 – 2023:

• Assignments for 09/26/2022
• Assignments for 09/19/2022

Assignments due for the week of September 26th, 2022

Quick Looks at Great Books

Great reports and information today on the French Revolution! We all learned a lot! We reviewed the study guide and all the information there. We did run out of time to take our quiz on the French Revolution and to watch the condensed version of the History Channel documentary on the revolution. I love for the students to get to see the dress of the day and the characters portrayed.

For next week, begin reading A Tale of Two Cities by completing Book 1 “Recalled to Life” Chapters 1-6. (All three “Books” are within the book itself.) It takes place in Paris and introduces some of the book’s major characters. Answer the study guide questions on pages 40 and 41 to make sure you are understanding the main events that take place. Have your questions ready as we discuss what you read. We will go over in detail anything you did not understand.

PSAT/SAT/ACT TEST PREP

We worked today on practice sections for the PSAT Reading Test. We went over all the correct answers and, hopefully, you will benefit from any mistakes for the practice 60-minute test we take in class next week. For next Monday, finish the questions on “Washington’s Farewell Address” and read the last passage on “The Great Seal” and answer the questions that follow. We will go over the correct answers and any questions you have before we begin the practice Reading Test in class. I will return the scored tests to you the following week.

American History

We covered the stories of the explorers to the New World in Chapter 1 and listed each date, person, and event they would need to know for the quiz. We began Chapter 2 and will continue going through it next week and pointing out what will be on our first quiz. For next week, read Chapter 3—Life in Colonial America. Answer the questions at the end of each section. We will go over Chapter 3 and review for the quiz on Chapters 1 and 2. You will meet some familiar characters in Chapter 3!

U.S. Government

We had another great class today, and the students seemed to understand the first two lessons. Do you know what holiday is this month? September 17th was Constitution Day! It’s an important date in our history, September 17, 1787, and, believe it or not, it is celebrated in our country today! We will talk more about the Constitutional Convention next week after the students do Lessons 3 and 4 in their notebooks on the Constitution. (Assignment for next Monday) We discussed a lot of important facts about the convention and will continue with that as well.

As promised, here are the answers to pages 9 and 13 in the notebooks. (I will always give you the answers to the Crossword pages.)

Lesson 3 The Constitution

ACROSS                   DOWN

1. Bill of Rights       2. Implied

7. Rhode Island      3. Federalists

8. Delaware             4. Supreme Court

10. Madison            5. Amendments

11. Expressed          6. Confederation

12. Concurrent      7. Ratified

                                 9. Reserved

                               10. Morris

Lesson 4 The Constitution (Bill of Rights & Amendments)

ACROSS DOWN

1. Liquor                 2. Income

4. Black                  3. Women

5. Congress           4. Bails

9. Criminal            5. Civil

11. Religion            6. Eighteen

12. Soldiers            7. Trial

                                8. Warrants           

                              10. Arms

Watch this brief video about Constitution Day.

Watch this video about the Constitutional Convention.

Complete pages 10-12 and pages 14-16 in your notebooks based on the Crossword answers above. (Transfer the answers above to your notebooks.) Also, your student should ask you a question and, hopefully, be able to give you the answer if you don’t know it.

Question: Who is the most important founding father that no one has ever heard of?

We’ll discuss this man more next week as well as try to catch up on all that you’ve done in your workbook. Let me know if you have any questions at all.

Adventures in American Literature

We went over what the students had done in their notebooks and what we covered last week. In all the fifty states, we began our list of personal associations and will add to the literary associations throughout the year. They all did a great job analyzing the Senecan legend and its purpose. Sometimes, we forget that the Native Americans really contributed to the start of our literature.

For next week, read the journal writings of John Smith and William Bradford who had very different leadership styles. (pages 9-13) Then answer the questions on page 14 about the two accounts. Read Edward Taylor’s poem on page 15 and answer the five questions that follow. We will further discuss Taylor’s metaphors in our next class. Lastly, read the poem of America’s first female poet Anne Bradstreet on pages 17 and 18. Answer this question about her poem:

How are Mrs. Bradstreet’s Puritan beliefs evident in the reaction to the loss of her house?

You can watch the following video, which reads Anne Bradstreet’s poem to you with illustrations.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2022 – 2023:

• Assignments for 09/19/2022