Class+Log+2013-2014

Class Log 2013-2014


 * || Class Log ||
 * 8/26 || Welcome back and welcome to seventh grade! This space on the team wiki is for students and parents to get a glimpse into what is happening in geography class. I will use this space to write short summaries about what happened in class in each day and I will post materials and assignments. On the first day of school we reviewed what a Type 1 writing assignment should look like and practiced writing one. I asked the students to define geography and to share an concerns, fears, or expectations they had for seventh grade. The homework was to create a name tag for their desk. ||
 * 8/27 || Today I introduced the first topic of the year which is political systems. The students completed a Type 1 list of things they could do that the government has no control over. As a class we went over their list and I informed them of ways that the government did control the things they listed. It was a great conversation and got the students thinking about the role of government in ways they hadn't before. We finished with reading pages 80-84 in our Prentice Hall text.

|| __ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtW9IyE04OQ __
 * 8/28 || In class today we reviewed the method of taking Cornell Notes, and I introduced the first learning goal of the year. Our learning goals are presented as "I can" statements so that the students know exactly what they must do when assessment time comes. The first LG reads: "I can defend which political system provides the most freedom for its citizens." After reviewing the importance of the word "defend" in that statement, the students were given time to start taking Cornell Notes on pages 80-84 (see above). The following address to a video can be used to review Cornell Notes if you are still confused.

You can also use this website to create Cornell Notes in the future. :
 * [] **

Remember that the summary question for your Cornell Notes pgs 80-84 is "which political systems do not provide freedom for their citizens?" ||
 * 8/29 || Students were given time today to finish their Cornell Notes on pages 80-84. The reflection for this activity is to use their notes and answer the following question: If you had live in a country that did not have a representative democracy, which political system would you want to live with and why? ||
 * 8/30 || No School, enjoy your Labor Day Weekend. ||


 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 9/2 || No school ||
 * 9/3 || In class today we reviewed the reflection question from last week (see above) and added three additional political systems that were not in the book (see power point in this block). After adding these to our notes, we used our notes to complete a practice quiz identifying the political systems. These types of questions will also appear on the quiz. We will finish going over the answers to these quiz questions tomorrow.

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 * 9/4 || In class today, we reviewed the answers to the practice quiz questions for our 10 political systems. We also discussed what key words in each scenario led to the correct answers. I have explained to the students that quizzes and tests in geography class this year will require them to read carefully and to make sure that they understand what is being asked and what type of answer is expected. We completed our discussion of political systems by creating a chart to identify the systems that provided a lot freedom, some freedom, and no freedom for the citizens. This work has been in support of the learning goal that states "I can defend which political system gives the most freedom to the citizens." Our next topic is economic systems. The following reading and video will be used.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8ivuSUfTg4 || http://upfront.scholastic.com/issues/04_22_13/book
 * 9/5 || In class today I allowed the students to have time to work on taking notes on economic systems. The students had the choice of reading or watching the video posted above. They also had the choice of using Cornell Notes or another method of their choosing. Once the notes were completed, the students were asked to write a short letter in response to the writing activity question found on page 79 of the reading (see above). Most students were still working on this assignment at the conclusion of class so I will provide more time tomorrow. Future class periods will provide a more in-depth discussion about the benefits and negatives of the three types of economic systems. A quiz on political and economic systems will be given next week, Wednesday or Thursday depending upon our progress. ||
 * 9/6 || The students were given time today to finish up the work we started yesterday. In addition, I provided two articles for the students who finished early to read. The first article was about North Korea and the second was about Syria. Both of these topics related to what we have been learning about political and economic systems. In addition, the topic of Syria will continue to be one that we discuss as a current event.

As I mentioned yesterday, our first quiz will be next week. I'm posting a graphic organizer with the political systems for the students. They have this information already in their notes, however some students are still working on how to take good notes. I am advising them to check what they against what I have as they begin to study for the quiz. I will be posting more info concerning economic systems after we discuss them in class.

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 * Date || ClassLog ||  ||
 * 9/9 || In class today I updated the students on the date of the quiz. The quiz will take place on Thursday, 9/12/2013. The quiz will cover political and economic systems. I asked all students to write this down in their assignment book. Afterward, we continued our discussion of economic systems. I had some students share their responses to the writing assignment from page 79 (see above 9/4) and then had them work with a partner to build a graphic organizer with the positives and negatives for each system. Tomorrow we will go over the answers to the graphic organizer. ||
 * 9/10 || Today we completed the work on our graphic organizers for the economic systems. I have posted a copy of my organizer (see below) for students who wish to double check their work. The students also read about the rise of the Soviet Union and communism. They answered a Type 1 Writing Assignment question related to the reading.

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 * 9/11 || I began class today by telling the students what I experienced as a teacher during the terrorist attacks of 9/11. I provided some reading for the students on the changes that have occurred in our country since 9/11 and asked them to complete an exit slip for me containing questions they have about 9/11. The rest of the class was spent finishing the writing activity evaluating communism and preparing for tomorrow's quiz. ||
 * 9/12 || Quiz on Political and Economic systems. ||
 * 9/13 || In class today I introduced the current events assignment for the first marking period. This is a long-term assignment that will be completed mostly outside of class, however I will provide some class time throughout the next few weeks for the students to work and get help from me as they need it. As you will see below, I also offer the students some choice in their level of effort to achieve the grade they want. Students have the option of working for an "A," "B," or "C." I will also use the current events assignment to help students with the skill of "chunking" or planning how to break down large assignments into manageable pieces. Below you will see the requirements for the project. ||||||  ||

10 points each || -Complete a bibliography, 50 word summary, and reaction paragraph for each article 10 points each || -Complete a bibliography, 50 word summary, and reaction paragraph for each article 10 points each || 5 points each || -Complete a vocabulary enricher worksheet 10 points || -Complete a vocabulary enricher worksheet 10 points || 30 points || -Edit one of your summaries into a Type 3 writing assignment following all FCA’s 45 points || -Edit one of your summaries into a Type 3 writing assignment following all FCA’s 45 points || 10 points || Check off each of the following steps as you complete them to help you chunk this assignment. _ I have selected 3 articles and had them approved by Mr. Repsch 9/20 _ I have completed a summary, opinion /reaction, and bibliography for each article (type 2) 9/27 _ I have completed the correct amount of vocabulary enrichment activities. 9/27 _ I have improved one of my type 2 summaries into a type 3. 10/4 _ My type 3 has followed the FCA’s (available on the wiki) and has been typed. 10/4 _ I have found an additional article connected to one of my first three. 10/10 _ I have completed an additional type 2 summary for my enrichment article. 10/10
 * Select one of the following options for your current events assignment ||
 * To earn a “C” students must complete the following: || To earn a “B” students must complete the following: || To earn an “A” students must complete the following: ||
 * -Read 3 different teacher approved articles on approved topics || -Read 3 different teacher approved articles on approved topics || -Read 3 different teacher approved articles on approved topics ||
 * -Complete a bibliographic citation, 50 word summary, and reaction paragraph for each article
 * -Complete a vocabulary enricher worksheet **for each article**
 * -Attend a discussion session with Mr. Repsch
 * ||  || -Complete the enrichment activity: //Tell Me More//
 * Total possible points: 75/95 || Total possible points: 85/95 || Total possible points: 95/95 ||
 * Remember, simply trying one of these options does not guarantee the grade. As always, quality and accuracy must be demonstrated to earn your grade. ||

Remember that the early turn-in date is 10/11/2013. Students who meet this deadline will be permitted to fix major mistakes. Those who wait until the 18th will not receive this opportunity.
 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 9/16 || Today we began to discuss the third topic of our first unit, Developed and Developing nations. The students re-read pages 76 and 77 (see above 9/4) and together we made a chart with the characteristics of each type of country. After establishing what developed nations have, we brainstormed what we could use to measure a country's level of development. Using an almanac, the students found five characteristics for a developed country and then found data for a specific country I gave them. Starting tomorrow, the students will be gathering data for twenty different countries and using that to determine if the country is developed or developing.

|| https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
 * 9/17 || http://upfront.scholastic.com/issues/12_10_12/book

Above are two resources that you can use to help with the Ranking Developing Nations project. Both sources contain many pieces of data that can be used to help measure the development of a country. Remember that you need a piece of data to reflect Health, Wealth, Education, Urbanization, Technology, and a "wild card" pick of your own. As I showed you in class, using a spreadsheet can really help make the work of organizing your data a lot easier. Remember that if you are not sure about a piece of data, check with me and I'll let you know if it is ok. ||
 * 9/18 || Today was a work period for the students to continue to gather data on the twenty countries that I assigned them yesterday. The most important piece of the data collection, is to connect each piece of data to one of the assigned characteristics of a developed country. For example, per capita GDP could be used to represent the wealth of a country. At this point, I plan to give the students tomorrow's class to finish gathering data. Students who do not finish will have to finish the work for Monday's class. Friday will be a Current Event work day. ||
 * 9/19 || Today was the final day of class time to collect the data for the Ranking Developing Nations project. Students who were not finished with the data collection now have homework to complete the data collection by Monday for class. In the second phase of the project, we will use the spreadsheets we created to sort and organize our data so that we can make decisions about which countries are developed and which are developing. Tomorrow's class will dedicated to work on our Current Events project. ||
 * 9/20 || Today the students were given time to work on Current Events. If the students are following the schedule I gave them, they should have selected 3 articles and read them by today's class. The next step is to cite and summarize the articles and then to author an opinion or reaction to the information they learned. These summaries/reactions are Type 2 writing assignments and should follow the Collins Writing style guidelines. They can be typed or written by hand and each paragraph should 5-8 good sentences. This marking period we are focusing on the skill of summarizing so I am looking for each summary to have the Five W's (Who, What, Where, When, Why/How) for the article that was reviewed. Below is an article I read and a summary I completed to show the students an example of what I am looking for. Students should also be keeping a list of words they do not know, from the articles they are reading. We will use these later to do the Vocabulary Enrichment.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/upfront/features/index.asp?article=f100509_Fashion

Those students who are looking to work ahead can look at the directions below for the Type 3.

The purpose of this Type 3 writing assignment is improvement in our writing and understanding. Improvement in writing only happens when we edit, revise, and receive feedback. To accomplish the goal of earning a “B” or an “A” you will select one of your summary and opinion sheets that you completed and edit that piece of writing into a type 3 writing assignment. This final copy **__must be typed__** and should follow all the guidelines stated in the Focus Correction Areas.

FCA 1: The summary should contain a clear description of the article with the important information (who, what, where, when, why and/or how) **__identified and highlighted__** and written in the student’s own words. 15 points

FCA 2: The Opinion/Reaction should be an organized and clear paragraph, consisting of a minimum of five sentences, focused on a specific concept from the article. 15 points

FCA 3: The final copy demonstrates at least two additional facts in the summary that has been underlined and one additional argument in the opinion/reaction section italicized, that has been added, and was not present in the rough copy. 15 points ||


 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 9/23 || Today I showed the students how to use the "sort data" tools in a spreadsheet to organize the data they collected for the Ranking Developing Nations project. The sort function can be under the data tools at the top of the page. If students are working on this at home, make sure that they highlight all of their data at once so that the changes will keep the rest of their data linked to the country it belongs with while it sorts one column at a time. I also met with each student today to return their first quiz of the year. Students who received less than a 70% were told to see me during flex so that we could review their notes and discuss a retake. ||
 * 9/24 || The students continued to work on sorting and scoring their data for the Ranking Developing Nations Project. At this point, the students should be close to finishing the scoring so that we can move to the final step of deciding which countries are developed. Students who are behind may want to work on this some at home. ||
 * 9/25 || The students are moving into the final phase of the Ranking Developing Nations Project. Now that they have their data sorted and their countries have been ranked, I have asked them to decide which countries made the cut and which ones did not. They will present their decisions in a Type 3 writing assignment. I have attached a copy of this assignment. Since it is our writing assignment of the year, I have provided a lot "help" for the students to follow.

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 * 9/26 || Today was the final day to work in class on the Ranking Developing Nations Project. The students received a guide to help them write the Type 3 assignment. The guide contains the FCA's and a format that they can follow to write their results. The students could follow the guide practically word for word but this would be an example of very basic writing. Students who have more developed writing skills have been encouraged to simply use the guide as a sample to be expanded upon. I did this because it is our first Type 3 of the year. The assignment is due Monday. ||
 * 9/27 || In class today I went over the the Type 3 writing assignment for the Current Events Project. I shared with the students an example that connects to my example of a summary (see above 9/20). I also explained the FCA's to them and went over again what a Type 3 writing assignment is. I also reviewed the requirements for the vocabulary enrichment activity. The students should search their articles for 10 words they did not know. They should list these words and define them. They then have to create a paragraph using the ten new words correctly. These paragraphs can fun, silly, and inventive. The remainder of the class was spent working on Current Events. If the students are keeping up with my schedule for them, they should have 3 articles read and summarized by this point. They should be working on turning one of those summaries into a Type 3.

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 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 9/30 || Today I collected the Type 3 and data for the Ranking Developing Nations project. We discussed as a class how some of the data can be impacted by things like the size of a country or the amount of people that live there. The final topic for developed nations in industrialization. All developed countries share a common bond; they have all gone through some kind of industrial revolution. The students are taking notes on two sections from the book. I will give a formative assessment (practice quiz) on these two sections later in the week. The results will help me to identify students who are struggling with reading the textbook.

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 * 10/1 || In class today the students continued to work on the reading assignment posted above. I gave the students the following tips for note taking:

1) Always read the "prepare to read" sections paying close attention to the objectives. This is what you are supposed to know when you finish the chapter. 2) The Red headings are the big ideas and the Blue headings are the supporting details. Use this to help organize your notes. 3) Try to summarize each paragraph into a sentence in your notes. 4) The majority of your time should be spent reading and thinking, not writing. If you're spending all your time writing, you are doing this incorrectly.

I will be providing more time tomorrow to take notes. I plan to give a formative assessment on this information on Friday. The information will help me see who is struggling with reading and note taking and will not count for a grade. ||
 * 10/2 || Today I went over the Unit One Foundations of Geography project with the students. This project replaces our unit exam that we have used to assess students in the past. The project addresses all 5 learning goals from this unit and provides the students with the opportunity to demonstrate their learning for each topic. Each part of the project is not a new skill. What is new is the application of previously learned skills to a new country that we have not learned about. Each student has a different country to work with. To break the project down, the work on the learning goals will collected and assessed on a series of dates that are one week apart. The time line is:

Learning Goals 1 and 3 10/9, quiz questions 10/11

Learning Goals 2 and 4 10/16, quiz questions 10/18

Learning Goal 5 work and quiz on 10/25

The students will be permitted to use their work to aid with the quiz questions. The rubric for this project is posted below.

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 * 10/3 || In class today, I reviewed the due dates and requirements for all outstanding assignments. The remainder of the class was spent on starting learning goal four, which deals with world religions. As a class, we brainstormed what a religion is and then discussed how religion might impact a person's life. We followed this up with a short video that provided some background info on religion and gave examples of how the religions affect people's lives. The video is part of a series available to us from Safari Montage. Next week we will use the same series to get into the specifics of five major world religions. Tomorrow I will administer the formative reading quiz on pages 183-197 (see above). Students may use their notes on this practice quiz. ||
 * 10/4 || Today I administered the Formative Reading Quiz. The students used their notes to help them answer a variety of questions from the reading on pages 183-197. The information I get from the formative quiz will help me determine which students need some additional help with reading, note taking, or both skills.

The early turn-in date for the current events project is next Friday and students have started working on the Unit One Country Project as well. The work for Learning Goal 1 and 3 should be completed by next Wednesday. The quiz questions for these two goals will be given next Friday.

Unit One Project Resource Page ||


 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 10/7 || In class today the students were divided into small groups to start collecting information on the five major world religions. Each small group watched a video about one of the five religions and filled out a graphic organizer with the info they learned. Tomorrow we finish up watching the video, then I will put groups together and allow them to exchange information. Eventually all of the graphic organizer will get filled in.

Other reminders:

The homework is the Unit One Country project. Learning goals 1 and 3 should be completed this week. The work will be collected on Friday along with two quiz questions. Also, the early turn-in date for Current Events is Friday. ||
 * 10/8 || Today the students continued to complete their World Religions graphic organizers. Groups completed their videos and notes, then met with groups who had different religions to share information. Below I am attaching my copy of the organizer so that students may check what they have against what I have.



Remember that the homework is to be working of finishing Current Events and your country project. ||
 * 10/9 || Today we continued to explore world religions. I had the students create their own thematic map showing the concentrations of each of the five religions we are learning. Most students finished the map in class but those who are taking their time and being neat may still be working on this. The map is to be a part of their notes and can be used to help them with the country project for next week. Although the colors are different, the map at the following link could be used by the students to complete their own maps.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prevailing_world_religions_map.png ||
 * 10/10 || In class today we did a class read from our Ancient World text. The reading covered the historical background and beliefs for Judaism. After the reading, the students checked their graphic organizers to see if the information they had gathered from the week before was correct. It also provided an opportunity for the students to ask clarifying questions of me. Next week we will continue to look more closely at each religion and continue to check our notes to make sure we have the right information. ||
 * 10/11 || The morning classes were given the quiz questions for Learning Goals 1 and 3. Unfortunately, due to the flooding, the afternoon classes did not have an opportunity to complete the quiz. The afternoon classes will need to complete the quiz questions next week. ||


 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 10/14 || No school ||
 * 10/15 || Due to the late start, our classes today were only 35 minutes long. The time was used to read a section on the beliefs on Islam and to compare the reading to the information the students saw in the video last week. Some students finished early and were able to work on their Unit One project. I also finished grading the Type 3 writing assignment from the Ranking Developing Nations Project. The results were pretty good overall with most students scoring a 12/15 or higher. I reminded the students to really pay close attention to the FCAs since that is what they are be graded upon. Students who lost points, did so due to not following the FCAs. I also encouraged the students to see me if they did not understand why they lost points. Reminder for my afternoon classes that you will be answering the quiz questions tomorrow for learning goals 1 and 3. ||
 * 10/16 || My classes were given the opportunity to check their notes on Christianity against the information we have in our Ancient World text and then received time to work on Learning Goals 2 and 4 for the Unit One project. I also went over the learning goals again to clarify any questions the students had about the expectations for the project. The afternoon classes were given the quiz questions for Learning Goals 1 and 3 which were scheduled for last week but delayed due to the early dismissal. ||
 * 10/17 || All classes received time today to work on Learning Goals 2 and 4. I also reviewed a study strategy with the students using their graphic organizer for world religions and a Venn Diagram. I had the students create a three circle Venn Diagram and use it to look for similarities between Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. I explained to the students that just looking at their notes wasn't really a good way to study. To build knowledge and understanding, you need to work with the material in different ways. The Venn Diagram activity was a different way of working with the material. Since I have still need to cover Hinduism and Buddhism, the quiz questions have been moved to next Tuesday and I will collect Learning Goal 2 and 4 at that time. ||
 * 10/18 || Today I collected the current events assignment from those students who chose not to turn them in early. I also covered or reviewed the final two religions on our list Buddhism and Hinduism. These two religions have much in common including the founder of Buddhism, Buddha who grew up a Hindu. Because these two religions are very different in their philosophies from the Western Religions (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) I used both a story (The old man and the scorpion) and modern pop culture reference to try and make some connections for the kids. I explained to the kids that Buddhism or at least Buddhist ideas could be found running throughout the story line for Star Wars. I encouraged the students to watch the Empire Strikes Back and see if they could identify the themes that could be related to the Eastern religions. Again, my notes on the five religions we have studied are posted above. ||


 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 10/21 || In class today I returned the current events project for those students who turned them in early. The students who did not reach the grade level they were trying for have until this Friday to make corrections. Those students were encouraged to see me if they did not understand what they missed. 29 students took advantage of this opportunity or about 1/3 of our team. The students also started work on learning goal #5 today which is climate. The students should be experiencing a review with some of this material since climate was covered in sixth grade. The focus of learning goal #5 is to review climate graphs, learn about the 12 climate zones, and learn how to use a climate graph to determine a climate zone. The assignment in class was not homework. Students will receive additional time tomorrow (after the quiz questions) and Wednesday to complete the assignment. Quiz questions tomorrow on LG 2 and 4. ||
 * 10/22 || Quiz Questions for Learning Goals 2 and 4. ||
 * 10/23 || Today the students received time to work on finishing the notes and activity from Monday's class. I was not in the class; I had doctor's appointments so the students had a sub. The sub was instructed to have students who finished the assignment from Monday, begin the next step on Learning Goal 5. The students were given a graphic organizer with names and descriptions of the 12 different climate zones. To complete the organizer, they must use an atlas or the textbook and locate a city found in each climate zone. The final step is to use the descriptions on the organizer to correctly identify the climate zones using a climate graph. More time will be given tomorrow to finish these assignments.

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 * 10/24 || I returned to class today and reviewed climate graphs and the assignments that were given by my sub yesterday. The remainder of the class was used to work on these assignments. Many students have finished these assignments and have moved on to completing work on LG 5 from their rubric. This includes completing a climate map of the country they were assigned and a climate graph for a city from that country. ||
 * 10/25 || This class was used for students to complete the work on climate and learning goal 5 for next week. The last quiz question will be given on Tuesday so students should have their work for learning goal 5 completed by class time on Tuesday. All students should have received a map of their country to use for the climate map and I provided data to use to create the climate graph for each country. I have attached that data below for students who still need to complete the climate graph.

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 * Date || ClassLog ||
 * 10/28 || In class today we started our next unit. I explained to the students that our next unit will focus on physical geography. This unit will include a lot of independent work time. To help the students manage that, we will be practicing chunking and planning the assignments by using calendars and assignment books. I will also be having the students keep a "work-log" that has some brief details about what they worked on and what they accomplished each day throughout the unit. The first topic of the unit is global warming. The students started reading chapter 35 from the Geography Alive book today.

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 * 10/29 || Today was the final quiz question for the Unit One Project. At this time, each student should have submitted all of their work for this project to me. Most students finished the last question about climate quickly and were able to continue working on Chapter 35 from yesterday. Tomorrow is the end of the first marking period. Students will begin to see their Unit One project grades showing up in home access. It is important that any students who are missing work, see me to arrange to complete the missing assignments. Tomorrow we will be spending time looking at the next unit and planning how each student will accomplish the assignments we will complete during the unit. ||
 * 10/30 || Our class period today was spent looking over the assignments and readings for the second unit on Physical Geography. I provided the students with a time management plan and gave them some advice on how to fill out the plan. The purpose of working on the unit this way is to allow the students to learn more about how they learn and teach them to manage their time. This will also allow students who work well independently to do so, while freeing me to work with students who need more help. A copy of the plan is provided here.

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 * 10/31 || At the start of class I explained to the students how complete the reading notes assignment for chapter 35 and provided them with the materials to do so. I also provided the type 3 assignment for chapter 35. I will go over the FCAs for this assignment at the start of class tomorrow. The students had 35 minutes of class time to work on their unit two assignments.

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 * 11/1 || To help with the type 3 assignment that is part of unit two (chapter 35) I went over the following information and example with the students.

Writing for Geography class: Remember that when you write for geography class you are using technical writing not creative writing. This means that there is a purpose to what we are writing and usually that purpose is to prove something.

Thesis statement: This is a sentence found in your opening paragraph that tells the reader, what you are trying to prove.

Voice and structure: Finally remember that this is not a conversation it is a piece of writing. You should avoid first person (unless told otherwise) and avoid sentences that resemble a conversation with the reader, such as: “Hey have you ever wondered about….”

Example of an opening paragraph

Currently, the Earth is experiencing a period of rising temperatures. Geographers and scientist have disagreed about the causes of this warming period. One theory is that global warming is being caused by human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, but others argue that the Earth is warming as a result of natural processes. Regardless of the cause, if the temperatures continue to rise, the melting of the polar ice will cause sea levels to rise as well. The rising sea levels will have major impacts on the United States.

The last sentence is the thesis or topic sentence. I also demonstrated how I would summarize the introduction section of chapter 35 into my own words. After this, the students had 30 minutes to work on their unit two assignments. ||


 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 11/4 || At the beginning of class today I met with several students to discuss what they had completed for the current events assignment. Many of the students failed to follow the directions for the assignment. This has been a problem that we are seeing across the team. I showed the students the requirements and examples again and they confirmed for me that they had seen them before and that they knew where to find them. I have given these students two weeks to make the corrections on the assignment and thus will post the grades to the second marking period. These students received approximately 35 minutes to work on Unit Two in class today. The rest of the students received the entire 54 minutes. Posted below are the directions for the mapping activities. Some students are working on this part of the project already.

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 * 11/5 || At the start of class I went over a few tips or ideas for the students when working on completing their physical maps. Those tips included:

Following the directions in the guidelines Selecting a focus point that you are sure you recognize (such as Italy being shaped like a boot) and work from that point to make sure you are putting the physical features in the correct spots Identify water vs land Use the descriptions provided in the text book to locate place you are struggling to find

The rest of the class was spent working on the assignments. The students had 40 minutes of class time today. I also continued working with students who were missing assignments in an attempt to help them solidify their end of the marking period grades. For some students, I have spoken to them multiple times now in an effort to get them to complete their missing assignments. Final grades will be posted soon. ||
 * 11/6 || I was not in the classroom today. I was at a workshop getting a refresher course on the Collins Writing system that our building has committed to using. The students should have had the majority of the period (at least 45 minutes) to work on their work for unit 2. ||
 * 11/7 || Today was the early check-in date for the unit two work. As the students continued to work, I reminded them to check over the FCAs for the type 3 assignment for chapter 35 and then I checked those students who felt they had completed this part of the unit. Students who finished their work may have some free time tomorrow before moving on to the next part of the unit. ||
 * 11/8 || The majority of the students have completed the work for chapter 35. Students who have not were reminded today in class to access the wiki page if they plan to work on assignments over the weekend. I also reminded those students who needed to make current events corrections, that the due date for those corrections was next Friday, November 15th. ||


 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 11/11 || In class today many of the students moved on to chapter 11. At the beginning of the class I had the students look closely at the reading notes for Chapter 11. These notes were very different than the ones for chapter 35. The reading notes for ch. 11 are all summary based. I explained to the students that this should change their approach to the Cornell Notes. Their Cornell Notes should be much shorter for this chapter since most of it will be covered in the reading notes. I also eliminated the webquest assignment and replaced it with two video documentaries on hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. Those videos are posted below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBZuPmi4i-U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZfUMco0Mto

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 * 11/12 || In class today I collected the graded materials for chapter 35. The chapter focused on the debate over global warming. I like this chapter because it does present the information to the students as a debate and allows them to make their decision about global warming. Before collecting the materials, I went over the Reading Notes with students. I have posted those answers below along with one possible example of the Cornell Notes for this chapter.

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 * 11/13 || Today the students had the option of either watching one of the hurricane documentaries in class or continuing with the other assignments. The documentaries are assigned to help the students understand and visualize the impact that hurricanes and other forms of extreme weather can have on countries and the people that live there. As part of the chapter 11 assignments, the students are to complete a hurricane pamphlet. The rubric for this assignment as well as the reflection questions for the videos are posted below.

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 * 11/14 || Today we held our team election so there was no class time. ||
 * 11/15 || In class today I went over the rubric for the hurricane pamphlet (posted above) and explained the expectations. This is part of the chapter 11 work and is the summative assessment for the chapter. The work on this pamphlet can be completed by hand or on the computer, however students wishing to complete it on the computer may need to work on it at home depending on which software they want to use. Completing the assignment by hand is completely acceptable. ||


 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 11/18 || I took very little time from the students today. I provided them with the materials that they needed for the hurricane pamphlet (see rubric above) and allowed the majority of the class to work on the assignments for chapter 11. The early check-in for these assignments is Thursday, the 21st. I also assigned new seats and changed the arrangement of the room. The students had 45 minutes of work time today. ||
 * 11/19 || The majority of the students spent today working on their Hurricane Pamphlets. Some students continued to work on other assignments. I checked in with some students one-on-one. The students had most of the class period to work. ||
 * 11/20 || You may have heard about the recent events in the Philippines where a tropical typhoon struck the area of Tocloban. This event connects directly to our work on chapter 11 and the curriculum we learned in our first unit. I used the short video in the link posted below to remind the students that typhoons and hurricanes are the same thing and that developing countries with little infrastructure are going to struggle to rebound from such an event. We also discussed the fact that this climate zone would have a better chance to be impacted by global warming, our last topic. The students used the remainder of class to work on their assignments. The early check-in date is tomorrow.

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/14/21449340-typhoon-death-toll-rises-above-4400-as-hospitals-struggle-to-treat-victims?lite

Reminder to all students to wear the color blue tomorrow to recognize Children's Grief Awareness Day. Thank You! || Those who did not, spent the class completing the assignments. Many students were putting the finishing touches on their hurricane pamphlet. I was asked again how a student can access their saved work from home. I am posting those instructions here and I put them on the homepage of the wiki. ||
 * 11/21 || Today was the early check in date for the chapter 11 assignments. Students who completed the assignments by today have earned a "day off" tomorrow. Those students were checked off in class. The chapter 11 assignments are due on Monday. The students had about 35 minutes to work today. ||
 * 11/22 || Several of the students had completed their work for chapter 11 early and were able to have a day "off" in class.


 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 11/25 || The graded assignments for chapter 35 were returned today and the assignments for chapter 11 were collected. I encouraged the students to use their unit plan to record their grades and to make sure that they have turned everything in. Some students were missing some of the assignments. Since I am trying to teach the students to have student skills and responsibility, I will not be tracking these students down. They must check their grades and assignments and if they are missing something, they must speak to me to turn it in.

Many students have already moved on to chapter 17. In order to complete the Reading Notes activity for chapter 17, the students will need to use the pictures I have posted below. The ISN refers to these as "placards." This is just another name for pictures. The task is to use the pictures to identify what type of physical process is being shown and where in Russia it might be located. This is a challenging activity so students are encouraged to work with a partner or seek my assistance.

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 * 11/26 || Although it is not really a part of our curriculum, I thought it appropriate to share a brief history of the Thanksgiving tradition with the students today. Below is a link to a short video clip from Constitution Center in Philadelphia that provides the background information on this holiday. I have also included a excerpt from the book "Lies My Teacher Told Me." It presents a revisionist view of the history surrounding the Pilgrims and early America. The reading level is very high and this is not for all my students but for those who can handle the reading level, it is a great read. These are not assignments, just some additional learning opportunities. During the rest of the class, the students worked to complete the assignments for chapter 17.

http://constitutioncenter.org/learn/hall-pass/the-history-of-thanksgiving http://www.trinicenter.com/historicalviews/thanksgiving.htm ||
 * 11/27 || No class, half day Turkey Trot ||
 * 11/28 || No School, Happy Thanksgiving! ||
 * 11/29 || No School ||

Current Events ll Rubric ||
 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 12/2 || No school ||
 * 12/3 || In class today I reminded the students of our time line and allowed them to work on completing chapter 17. I returned their work on Learning Goal 5 and the current events assignment that they were allowed to re-do. Amazingly, I still have students who did not take advantage of the opportunity to improve their current events. At this time, their grades are what they are. I encouraged the students to check the home access center for their updated score. ||
 * 12/4 || Many students are working ahead of the unit timeline so I am posting the requirement for the next round of current events. I may not get to go over these with the students as a class until after the holiday break but the students who are ready for the assignment are welcome to work on it in advance. I would just suggest that they see me with any questions before they go too far on the assignment.
 * 12/5 || Today was the early check-in date for the work on chapter 17. I inspected the work of the students who completed the work early. Students who were not completed were encouraged to continue to complete the work for next week's due date. Several of the students were seeking help completing the Reading Notes activity. This is a very challenging activity where the students are required to look at pictures from Russia (see placards posted above) and decide which of the four physical processes they are looking at and where in Russia that the picture may have been taken. The key to these sections is once they figure out which process is being shown, to go back to the section of the book on that process to find clues about the pictures exact location. I am most concerned that the students can correctly identify the process. ||
 * 12/6 || I was not in class on this day. The substitute provided the materials for the students who were ready to move on to chapter 27. Those students who were not ready yet, continued to work on chapter 17. ||


 * 12/9 || I was not in class on this day. The substitute provided the materials for the students who were ready to move on to chapter 27. Those students who were not ready yet, continued to work on chapter 17. I will be collecting the work for Chapter 17 tomorrow. ||
 * 12/10 || Today was the due date for the Chapter 17 assignments. I collected the Reading Notes, Cornell Notes, and Geo-Terms for the chapter. I also reminded the students of the timeline moving forward and the Unit test coming up next week. I am posting the reading for the last chapter (27) here for the students to use outside of class if they need it.

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 * 12/11 || In class today I went over the remaining timeline with the students and helped them to plan their final week of the unit. At this point, the students should have completed and turned in the assignments for chapter's 35, 17, and 11. I have graded and returned their work for 35 and 11 (with the exception of the Hurricane Brochure) and have started to grade and return the work for chapter 17. The students will need this work to help them prepare one sheet of notes that they can use on the test. The unit test will be next Wednesday, December 18th. On this test, the students may use their one sheet of notes (standard sized sheet of paper, front and back, hand written) along with the physical maps that they have been working on throughout the unit. I encouraged the students to start the work on the note sheet now. I think this is a great way to study for the test. ||
 * 12/12 || Students received the majority of the time to complete the work for chapter 27. At this time, most students are working on completing the Reading Notes assignment while some have moved on to the final assignment, a Type 3. The information and FCAs for the Type 3 are available in my classroom. ||
 * 12/13 || At this point, the students should be wrapping up their work for the second unit. Posted below are the puzzle pieces that are needed for the Reading Notes activity in chapter 27.

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 * Date || Class Log ||
 * 12/16 || In class today the students received time to finish their unit work and develop their sheet of notes that they may use on the test. I also encouraged the students to double check their maps to make sure that they are accurate. This is a reminder that the unit test will be Wednesday. ||
 * 12/17 || In class today I collected the work for chapter 27. This concludes the second unit on physical geography. Tomorrow the unit test will be given. I am attaching a study guide of topics to assist the students.

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 * 12/18 || Unit Two Test ||
 * 12/19 || The class today was spent introducing the new topic for current events (debate) and allowing the students to look for possible topics that they might use for the new project. ||