Unit 4 - Jamestown

We are beginning in a new unit in 6th grade history.  We will study the Lost Colony of Roanoke and the Jamestown colony in unit 4. The unit is posted in the pages section a the top of the blog. 

Homework: 

Due Tuesday/Wednesday, 11/15-11/16: Study vocabulary words for quiz on Friday 

Due Thursday, 11/17: Assignment #2 

Due Friday, 11/18:Assignment #5 - MAP AND VOCABULARY QUIZ 

Due Monday, 11/21: Assignment #6 

Unit 3 Test Complete - Sir Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake - Villain or Hero - You Decide!

Our next task in 6th grade history is to research and write three paragraphs where you will decide if Sir Francis Drake 

is a hero or a villain.  If you need an extra copy of the chart and the directions for the research, please see assignment #6 in Unit 3.  Unit 3 is saved in the pages section at the top of the blog.  

Homework: Due Monday 

Complete the 3 paragraphs on Sir Francis Drake.  

Unit 3 - Spanish, English, and Dutch Explorers

You will find Unit 3 posted on the tabs at the top of the page.  If you need to print any pages in the unit, please print them from the post above.

Homework: Due Monday, 10/24: Assignment #3.  Advanced warning: Vocabulary and map quiz, THURSDAY (10/27) 
Due Tuesday/Wednesday, 10/25 - 10/26:  Assignment #5 and study for vocab and map quiz 
Due Thursday, 10/27: Vocab and map quiz 
Due Friday, 10/28:  Assignment #8 


Below you will find the Unit 3 Powerpoint on the Explorers.

What an awesome day in 6th grade history!

I was very impressed with all of the presentations.  More to come tomorrow!

NO HOMEWORK!!!!! 

Explorer's Notebook DUE MONDAY!!!!

During class this entire week, we've worked on the Explorer's Notebook.  Some of you have used your time in class wisely, and some well..... not so much. There has been no homework except working on the project since Wednesday so I can't wait to see your outstanding projects.  On Monday, you should be ready to do your oral presentation and turn in your completed notebook.  I've posted the rubric below.  Double check and make sure you have all parts of the project completed.

Explorers Powerpoint

Technical Problems Fixed!

I had some problems posting Unit 2 but thanks to help from the computer department, I am in business.  You will find the entire unit 2 at the top of the page next to unit 1.

I have also posted the Explorer's Notebook project here as a Word document.  Remember that you may print any documents you need from this blog.

Homework: 
Due Tuesday/Wednesday:  Assignment #9 
Due Thursday: Assignment #10 
Due Monday: Explorer's Notebook project and oral presentation 
Remember that you SHOULD NOT buy a costume.  I want to see your creativity.

Great job on the test!

Everyone did a great job preparing for the test.  I will have the tests graded by Monday and we will start with unit 2 on Monday.

Homework: Organize your unit so we can file it tomorrow.  Use the check list I gave you in class to make sure all written assignments are complete.  Everything you have done in unit one including note cards, quizzes, movie notes, and all pages printed in green will be filed tomorrow.  Make sure it all comes to school with you tomorrow.  

Review! Review! Review!

Don't forget your unit 1 test - Next Tuesday/Wednesday 


All homework since Tuesday has been to review for the test.  So far you have: 

1. Reviewed Assignment #3 and #4 as if you were going to have a quiz 
2. Created a sentence in your own words for each vocabulary word. 
3. Spent the class period today working on the review guide.  

Work on your review guide over the weekend.  We will have a practice test on Monday.  

Knights in the Middle Ages

We finished Assignment #9 by talking about towns, trade, and travel.  We discussed the writing of Giovanni Boccaccio who wrote a story of a group of people who escaped the Black Death by fleeing to a villa outside of the city of Florence, Italy.  (Assignment #10)
We watched the video, Europe in the Middle Ages - Knights.  The video focused on how knights had to win the favor of the nobles and the ladies.  Remember the colors the ladies wore to let the knight know how she felt about him?

Homework is to begin reviewing for the unit test which is next Tuesday/Wednesday depending on with day you have class.  Tonight please review assignments 3 and 4 as if you were going to have a quiz on it.  


This is not the video we watched in class, but it is entertaining.

Feudalism and Crusades

Today we covered 3/4ths of assignment #9 on the Feudal system and the Crusades.  We will finish the information on towns and trade tomorrow.  We are about to begin studying the much anticipated Black Death.

Homework:  Don't forget to get your quiz signed and complete assignment #12.  

Sorry for the delay!

I posted to the blog on Thursday but it seems that there may have been a problem because the post did not appear.  PLEASE remember that Net Community and the blog are only a back up for your planner.  You should write down your homework every day.  It is posted on the Smart Board each day when you enter the classroom.  If you are confused or frustrated about homework, please DO NOT WAIT, email me immediately so we can fix the problem.

On Thursday we had our first day of note taking.  I talked about how note taking requires students to multi-task.  You have to listen, write, watch for words or phrases on the board, and pay attention to pictures on the Smart Board.  I was very impressed with all of the 6th graders who did an excellent job of keeping up and staying engaged during class.

Homework for Thursday night was to study for the vocab quiz.  Homework for the weekend was Assignment #10.  I hope everyone saw my email regarding the puzzles.  ALL 6th GRADERS SHOULD CHECK THEIR SCHOOL EMAIL EVERY DAY.  If a teacher is trying to get in touch with you, the message will be on your email. 


Below is the guided note taking we worked in class, if you would like to review or you need another copy.

National Geographic - North America Before Columbus

This is a 13 minute clip of the video we watched in class.  You may review it to help you remember the key points of the video.  Remember that our focus in class is to explore what civilizations and tribes existed in North American at the time of Columbus' voyage and what happened when when the European and Native American cultures met.

Some of you said that the map in the unit was hard to read.  I agree. It is hard to find good maps that fit in a regular sized binder.  I gave all of the classes a new, larger map and asked everyone to copy the information from the smaller one to the larger one.

I've embedded an electronic version here if you'd like to print more copies.

Homework : Complete assignment #9. 

Vocab Cards unit #1, Cont.

After class today, all students should have 16 vocab cards completed for unit #1.  We reviewed all of the definitions in class to give everyone a chance to make corrections and check their definitions.

Homework: Begin review of vocab words for unit 1 vocab quiz.  The unit #1 vocab quiz will be Friday, 9/9.  Don't wait until the last minute to begin studying!  


Have a great Labor Day weekend and try to stay dry!

Vocab cards unit #1

By the end of class on Friday each student should have 16 complete vocabulary cards.  You will find the list of words in Assignment #5 in your unit.  Advanced warning: Your first vocab quiz will be Friday, 9/9. Don't wait until the last minute to begin studying!

Note: We will use an electronic note card program called Study Stack in unit 2.  If you would like to create electronic notes cards for unit one you may do it on your own.  Go to the site: www.studystack.com, create a FREE account and start making cards.  You must remember your username and password to retrieve your note cards so make sure you write it down somewhere.  Your planner would be a good place for that type of information.

Homework: Label the map found in Assignment #8.  There is an atlas in the back of your book that will help you label your map. Or you may use a world map you have at home or one you find on the internet.  

Tuesday and Wednesday

Today in class we worked to revise the Native American American stories.  Everyone worked REALLY hard to apply the hamburger method to their paragraphs.

All of the groups read their stories and we learned many new things about the Native American tribes who lived in North America before the arrival of Europeans.

Homework: Complete assignment #7 by ACTIVELY reading in the text book.  Assignment #7 refers to a concept web.  We will complete the concept web in class.  Your job is to add two examples of how the Greeks and Romans influenced the United States today.  When you come to class on Thursday you should have 5 examples. 

I figured out how to get everyone to post comments to the blog and I'll show you that tomorrow.

Happy Monday!

There was no homework over the weekend!

Today we continued our discussion of Native Americans by comparing and contrasting the Great Plains Tribes with the Iroquois Nation.  Make sure your chart for assignment #3 is complete.  We put all of the information on the board today.
Your stories should be complete.

Homework: Get quiz signed 
Actively read three pages in assignment #6.  You will find the reading in the back of your unit and it is marked assignment #6.  There is a graphic organizer for this assignment but we will do that in class.  YOu should actively read the assignment and answer the following question on this blog. 


Do you see any examples of how the Jews, Christians, Greeks, and Romans have influenced our government today?  Include at least three examples.

Finishing our stories

All of the groups are really moving along on their Native American stories.  I've enjoyed hearing about some of the information you've found so far.  I can't wait to hear your completed paragraphs.

Homework is to study the 16 items on the map you labeled in assignment #4.  We will have a short quiz on the map tomorrow at the very beginning of class.  I will choose 10 of the 16 items and put them on the quiz.  

Native American Webquest

Today we began work on a webquest where everyone divided into groups and each group investigated a different tribe that lived in North America during the 1400's and 1500's.  The point of this assignment is to show that there were millions of Native Americans living in North America when Europeans arrived discrediting the old idea that Columbus and Europeans "discovered" America.

We started class talking about why geese fly in a V formation and then talked about the rules for cooperative learning.  1) Have a positive attitude 2) Listen to all ideas with an open mind 3) Everyone actively participates 4) Everyone in the group should be ready to present.

Homework: Due Thursday: complete assignment #4.  This assignment involves labeling several Native American tribes on the map labeled #4 in your unit.  You need to use the map in your text book on page 13.  Also, please begin studying for a short map quiz on Friday.  

This is the link to the webquest

http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/webunit1wsp.html

Check out the link with the information about why geese fly in a V formation and see what we can learn from this story.

https://sites.google.com/a/pdst.ie/cooperative-learning/5-basic-elements/promotive-interaction/the-goose-story

Active Reading

Today in class we talked about how reading a textbook is very different from reading a novel.  We practiced using the Active Reading bookmark which is a slow process until you get the hang of it.  All 6th graders should read actively every time we read in history class, which means there should be lots of marks in your book.

Homework for tonight is: 1) Complete Assignment #3 in Unit 1.  This assignment has an active reading part and a written part.  Don't forget the graphic organizer. 
2) Review unit with your parents and get it signed 
3) Label your tabs in your binder with the following labels: current unit, notes, tests/quizzes, and journal.
 

I Pads Are Awesome!

Today in 6th grade history we talked about the guidelines for using the iPads in our class.  iPads are great and we will be using them throughout the year.

We accessed a site using the iPads called todaysmeet.com:
You can look at the sites again at:
www.todaysmeet.com/know

www.todaysmeet.com/wanttoknow

We "chatted" about what everyone knows or wants to know about the following topics in our upcoming unit.
Greece, Rome, democracy, Native Americans, Judaism, Christianity, Crusades, Black Death, Islam and the Renaissance.

There is NO HOMEWORK over the weekend!  Have a great weekend! 

Welcome to the first day of 6th grade history!  


Today we will spend some time getting to know each other and talking about what to expect as we study history together this year.  


You will always find lots of helpful information on this blog including an explanation of homework assignments.  Your homework for tonight is to read the class syllabus with your parents.  Both of you should sign the last page and return it to school on Friday, 8/17. You were given a copy of the syllabus in class but you can also access it in the Class Syllabus section at the top of this blog. 


Please participate in the poll to the right side of the blog!  


Quote of the week: 


Holidays are enticing only for the first week or so.  After that, it is no longer such a novelty to rise late and have little to do.  ~Margaret Laurence