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Thursday, November 12, 2015

The War that Made America Answer Keys

By popular demand here are the answer keys for the War that Made America Study Guide I created. Enjoy!!

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Current Event Google Form

I've just started using this Google form for 7th graders. We've begun a 1:1 Chromebook program so each student is able to access the news and complete the form pretty easily. Grading is a breeze!

Friday, November 6, 2015

APUSH Project

This year I am teaching APUSH for the first time. I have one student, so I've individualized instruction (obviously). The first project was to create a storybook to be presented to the 5th grade. He chose to create a Prezi about Hernan Cortes, the Spanish Conquistador. Prezi Project

Sunday, September 13, 2015

War of 1812 Talks

2015 War of 1812 Heritage Talks NEXT Saturday! Reserve your seats/meals NOW! September 18th and 19th The North Country is crucial to the narrative of American history and the 7th annual War of 1812 Heritage Talks sponsored for the first time by St. Lawrence University and the Fort de La Présentation Association are instrumental in our community’s on-going understanding and appreciation of this region’s history. The talks also serve to highlight and strengthen our region’s value as a destination for historical tourism. The reception will take place Friday, September 18th from 5pm-7pm. Sponsored by the SLCHA at the Silas Wright House in Canton, it is free and open to the public. The talks will take place September 19th beginning at 8:30 and ending at 4:00. In total there will be 6 speakers who will give 20-minute presentations of their work followed by 10-minute Q&A periods. In addition to the Q & A periods, the talks will be broken up with two 15-minute breaks (morning and evening) and an hour-long lunch break. A box lunch will be provided to the speakers and attendees. $9 general admission. Includes the talks, continental breakfast, boxed lunch. St. Lawrence University Students, Faculty, Staff talks free. Boxed lunch for an additional fee. The speakers MELISSANE PARM SCHREMS, Ph.D. Associate Professor, History/Coordinator, Native American Studies, Saint Lawrence University Her research and teaching interest include the American founding until 1830. She will place the war in historical context and speak on the significance of the War of 1812 as a research topic and why it is ignored in the national narrative. CHERYL BOOTS, Ph.D. Senior Lecturer of Humanities, Boston University Dr. Boots is the author of Singing for Equality: Hymns in the American Antislavery and Indian Rights Movements, 1640-1855. Dr. Boots will speak on the importance of music in the roles of enslaved and free African Americans, Indians and Abolitionists in the War of 1812. GENE ALLEN SMITH, Ph.D. Professor of History/Director, Center for Texas Studies at Texas Christian University Dr. Smith's research interests include Early American, Maritime and Naval history. His most recent book is The Slaves’ Gamble: Choosing Sides in the War of 1812. He will be invited to speak on enslaved soldiers and seamen within the context of War of 1812 maritime history. TIMOTHY ABEL, Ph.D. Historian/adjunct professor of anthropology at Jefferson Community College and SUNY Canton Dr. Abel will introduce and interpret the most significant findings of the 2015 Plattsburgh, NY field school: Pike's Cantonment Archaeology Project. RICHARD FELTOE curator and corporate archivist for the Redpath Sugar Museum and is active as a living history reenactor As a living history reenactor, he portrays the life of a Canadian militia soldier from the Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada regiment in the War of 1812-1815. His many publications include Redcoated Ploughboys. KEITH HERKALO is the author of The Battles at Plattsburgh, a history of the land and lake fight that took place on Sept. 11, 1814, as the British Army and Navy launched a combined attack down Lake Champlain towards Albany. He is also the editor of The Journal of H.K. Averill, Sr.: An Account of The Battle of Plattsburgh and Early North Country Community, and is a regular speaker on historic topics as well as serving as president of the Battle of Plattsburgh Association.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Reading like a Historian

The Stanford Education Group has created some great resources for Social Studies in grades 7-12 to use. I really like the fact that PowerPoints are included. I've already used the Manifest Destiny lesson and thought the primary sources and questions were fantastic.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Using Google Docs to Collaborate

Recently teachers in my district have been using Google Docs to encourage collaboration among students. Google Docs allow multiple students in various class periods to work on the same project at the same time. It also allows students to work on projects at home. We have used Google Docs to encourage notetaking, write essays, create presentations, and posters. The possibilities are endless. Students in my class are creating children's books about the U.S. Constitution. To prepare they must answer 15 questions about the Constitution, then use that information in the book they create. This year my two class periods will be answering the questions in small groups using a jigsaw format. Instead of students losing the question sheets or not doing the questions, now all students will be working collaboratively to find the answers. I can't wait to see how it works!

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

QR Code Scavenger Hunt

Today I tried a QR Code scavenger hunt about Imperialism with my 8th graders. I used a site which is free to create the scavenger hunt which took all of five minutes. I chose to have 5 questions. I grouped students in groups of 4 then sent them around the school one group at a time. They were graded on speed and whether they got the answers correct. So far I have had trouble with only one group which ran down the hall. Out of 55 students I would say that was pretty good. Students were excited to go on the scavenger hunt. They actually fought over which group got to go first and were very competitive. I would definitely do the activity again.

New York History