Dr. Swartzbaugh, 7th grade social studies: August 2010

Sunday, August 29, 2010

This week!

This week we will start getting into our first unit, which looks at the essential question:

What is worth fighting for?

In order to begin our exploration of the American Revolution, we are going to look at the concept of rights, specifically rights that relate to school-aged children such as yourselves.

In class, we will be reading some articles that explain a law that was passed in France in 2004 that prohibits public school students from wearing any kind of religious clothing or symbols. We will also watch a short video about one girl's struggle with this new law.

If you are interested in learning more about this subject, feel free to visit this link, from the BBC news website. On the right, you will see many links to additional articles regarding this law.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3328277.stm

Later in the week, we will learn more about a discussion structure that we will be using a lot this year called a Harkness Table. I think you are really going to enjoy this form of class discussion!

See you tomorrow!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

It was great to meet you!

Hello again! It was wonderful to meet all of you today! What a crazy day we had with those super-short class periods!

I wanted to remind you that tomorrow you should go straight to your advisory. Once your advisory teacher takes attendance, she will then take you to your first PBIS station. We'll be doing PBIS stations during 1st, 2nd, and 3rd periods tomorrow. Then, you will go to lunch, and attend all of your afternoon classes as usual.

On Thursday, the schedule will be flipped, so that you'll go to PBIS stations in the morning in place of periods 7, 8 and 9. Don't worry if it doesn't make sense! All of your teachers will guide you through the day!

Enjoy the fact that you have NO HOMEWORK in social studies tonight!

All the best,
Dr. Swartzbaugh

Friday, August 13, 2010

Here we go!

Welcome to 7th grade social studies! I am thrilled to be your teacher this year! I hope you all are having a relaxing end to your summer--enjoy these last few lazy, hot days! We are going to have an amazing time together this year!

--Dr. Swartzbaugh

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Weekly Syllabus--archive

Dr. Swartzbaugh

7-1 Social Studies

Weekly syllabus

Monday, September 13/Tuesday September 14 (MAP Testing)

In class:

Begin work on classroom timeline

Review Ch 5, Sec 1-3

Homework:

Choose a different act from last week, and choose one of the following:

Draw a cartoon protesting one of the three acts mentioned in this section—full page, in color

OR

Write a one paragraph protest speech against one of the three acts mentioned in this section (5-8 sentences long minimum)

Wednesday September 15

In class:

Discuss Protest Methods

Skits about Road to Revolution

Curriculum Night Tonight @ 6:30! Please Remind Your Parents!

Homework:

None

Thursday, September 16

In class: Visual analysis of primary text –Boston Massacre

Continue work on classroom timeline

Homework:

Pretend you are a teenager living in Boston at the time of the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. First, decide if you are a Loyalist or a Patriot. Second, choose if you wish to write about the Boston Massacre OR the Boston Tea Party. Once you’ve decided, write a letter to a friend (at least 2 paragraphs) describing the event from your point of view. Talk about how you feel about the events taking place. Be sure to include 3-5 specific facts about the event in your letter.

Friday, September 17

Continue visual analysis of primary text –Boston Massacre

Homework:

none

Tuesday, September 7

In class:

Complete generating classroom rules

Sign and post classroom rules

Homework:

none

Wednesday September 8

In class:

KCN on road to revolution

Individually

Pairs

Homework:

Read Chapter 5, section 1 “Trouble on the Frontier”

Choose One:

Interpretation of “Join or Die” image on p. 141

What was Benjamin Franklin’s message to colonists in this cartoon?

Create a time line of events described in section 1.

Put 3-5 events on a time line

Thursday, September 9

In class: Visual analysis of primary text—Join or Die

What would you have drawn to give the colonies the same message Ben Franklin was trying to depict.

Start chronology

Homework:

Read Chapter 5, section 2

Choose one:

Draw a cartoon protesting one of the three acts mentioned in this section

OR

Write a one paragraph protest speech against one of the three acts mentioned in this section.

Friday, September 10

Visual analysis of primary text –Boston Massacre

Homework:

Read Chapter 5, section 3

Read “Life at the Time: A Spirit of Protest” very carefully (pp. 154-155). If you were a colonists at that time, which method of protest would you choose and why? Respond by writing at least 5-8 sentences.

Monday, August 30

In class:

Who chose what you wore to school today? Do you have the right to wear whatever you want?

Why/why not?

Case Study: French Law concerning religious garb in public schools

Homework:

1. Label one spiral notebook with permanent marker: on the cover write your first and last name, and write social studies (if you prefer to use a 3-ring binder instead of a spiral notebook, you may. Just be sure that you have one binder that is just for social studies)

2. Label one 2-pocket folder with permanent marker: on the cover write your first and last name, and write “social studies”

3. Make sure you have a safe place for your history book at home! Be ready to tell me where you are going to be keeping it!

Tuesday, August 31

In class:

Introduction of Harkness Table

Alphabet Game

Video about French Law

Homework:

1. Explain the French Law to an adult at home

2. Write 3 questions you have about the French Law. One of your three questions must start with “why.”

Wednesday September 1

In class:

Harkness Table about French Law

Homework:

In your social studies spiral notebook, write one paragraph responding to the question:

What would you do if a law was passed in the U.S. that meant that you were no longer allowed to practice your religion, or celebrate an important holiday?

Thursday, September 2

In class:

Generating rights for our classroom

Homework:

In your social studies spiral notebook, list three rights that you think children everywhere should have in schools. For each right, include a few sentences explaining why you think that right is important for students.

Friday, September 3

Complete generating classroom rules

Sign and post classroom rules

Homework: none

A little about me

I have been teaching for over 15 years. At first, I taught college students. For the past 5 years, I taught high school students in social studies and language arts. I have two kids, a 7th grader and a freshman in high school. I also have a dog named Scout! When I'm not at work or hanging out with my kids, I love love love to read, go running, and travel. Some of the best books I've read recently include The Hunger Games, Chasing Fire and the Harry Potter series. A few things I wish I could do more often include going to Cubs games and attending musicals such as Wicked and Billy Elliot!

Dr. Swartzbaugh, 7th grade social studies

Sunday, August 29, 2010

This week!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

It was great to meet you!

Friday, August 13, 2010

Here we go!

Short video on Jamestown

King George sings his own version of Viva la Vida