Classroom update

Period 1- Working on a world map--not for hw--open map quiz on Thursday, 10/2
Period 2- Working on .ppt, Five Themes article assignment, both are due Monday, 10/6
Period 3-Presented 5 Themes posters in class today, No homework
Period 4-Presented 5 Themes posters in class today, No homework
Period 6- Working on.ppt, Five Themes article assignment, both are due Monday, 10/6. Began working on world map today in class-not for hw.

Have a great first fall weekend!

Important~Period 2 & 6

Period 2 & 6 should bring a blank CD-R/flash drive to school tomorrow to take home their
"project in progress". One CD per group, if you're working with a partner.

PowerPoints are due, and will be presented on Monday, 10/6.
Each student-- not each group--will also be responsible for turning in a Five Themes of Geography: In the News. This assignment was given on Wednesday, 9/24.
(I will have several CD's available for those students who forget.)

No homework--except Pd. 2 & 6

Period 2 and 6 have a History Day homework assignment from Ms. Ryan.
It entails checking out the History Day link on the Patapsco Middle School website.
She showed students how to get there during period 6 today (period 2--you guys will see her tomorrow, Thurs.--bring your folders!)

Additionally, Period 2 & 6 have a Five Themes of Geography reading/writing assignment that will be due next week--the same day as the PowerPoint project. As mentioned earlier, I will pick a fair due date this Friday, based on our progress with technology issues...

All classes--no homework tonight

No HW tonight.

Parents--Back to School Night is Thursday, Sept 25.
Progress Reports come home next week, Thursday, 10/2

Some days technology is great...

...and other days are like today.

We had some trouble during period 6 today with the laptop computers. After utilizing my laptop, my desktop, and sending 7 students to the media center, all but one student got online today to work on the project.
I will be allowing more time to complete this. On Friday, I will assess how far along the majority of the class is, and then set a fair due date.

Ms. Ryan update-- Period 6, tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Period 2, Thursday, Sept. 25

Bring your folders!

No homework tonight, 9/22

Panama Canal--Two themes represented here.


All classes are working on an in-class project on the Five Themes of Geography.


Periods 2 and 6 began their projects today in the computer lab.
We will be working with the laptops on Tues.(pd 6), and Wed.( pd 2). Depending on the
reliability of the mobile computer lab, I will assign a due date at the end of class tomorrow/Wed. We will also be in the computer lab on Friday.

Period 2 and 6 may need to complete their project at home.

World Population Clock link

U.S. and World Population Clock

No homework tonight, Friday, 9/19.

Autumn begins on Monday, 9/22--I believe the official time will be right around 6th period, 11:44am.
This is the autumnal equinox.

Fast fact: "equinox" is from a Latin word meaning "equal( aequus) night(nox)", as in the night is equal to the daylight hours. After Monday, the days will be getting shorter... :-(

No homework today, Thursday 9/18

All classes are working (Pd 2 & 6 begin tomorrow) on a 5 Themes of Geography project in class.
Pd 2 & 6 have computer lab time scheduled for next week, and will need to complete their .ppt's at home, if necessary.

Clocks are gone for now

I had a pretty cool clock display on my blog for about a day--it had several clocks, each showing the time in a different U.S. city. While updating my blog today I saw that somehow an ad had been attached to it, so I dumped the feature.
Sorry, if you saw it and enjoyed it--I'll try to put it back on if I can eliminate the advertising (that's probably why it was free!).

^^ That clock^^ will give you a headache if you look at it too long!

Ms. Ryan is coming, Ms. Ryan is coming!

Period 2 and Period 6--Bring your History Day folders on Thursday, 9/18! (tomorrow)


Homework: Period 2--finish 5 Themes worksheet (10 questions)
All other classes, no homework

Homework all classes--study for quiz!

All classes have a vocabulary quiz on Wednesday, 9/15.
There are 2 PowerPoint presentations on earlier posts, below this one, that are great help for studying--please use them!
Additionally, periods 2 & 6 will have several questions related to their first 12 drills, for a total of 40 questions.

Additional words for Pd. 2 & 6.

Thes words are for periods 2 & 6 only

Click on arrows below the slide to view the show.

Gtvocabulary

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.

Use arrow buttons under each slide. Write down your guess for each slide. Check against key (posted on 9/13 post)

Our Earth Vocab 2008

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.

Homework-all classes+ Vocab .ppt KEY, don't peek!

Click list to enlarge





All classes will have a vocabulary quiz on Wednesday, 9/17.

Periods 1,3,4--Multiple choice.

Period 2 and 6--Fill in the blank, no word bank will be provided.

Know what the words mean--i.e. what is an advantage of living near an oasis, what is a disadvantage of living in a landlocked country, why is a delta a desirable place to farm, etc.--as well as the definition.

Also, (Period 2 and 6) study and be familiar with drills #1-11, as I mentioned in class, as there will be a few short answer (1-2 sentences) questions based on those.
Any questions please ask during class Mon, Tues. or email would be fine--same email rules apply.

(Pretty cool shot of the Nile River delta from space in the pic above!)

No homework tonight.

All classes:

We have started (Period 2 will start tomorrow) our Five Themes of Geography packet.

It is a group work assignment to be completed in class, so it is not to be completed for homework.

Reminder: Period 6--Ms. Ryan will be in Friday, 9/12. Bring your History Day folder!

Homework, Due Thursday, 9/11

All classes: Complete the latitude zone worksheet, front and back.
Use your text book--the atlas pages (A1-37) in the front to help you.
Remember, "Zaire" is now named "Democratic Republic of the Congo"
--and has been since 1997!

In the example above: Polar= high
Temperate = middle
Tropical = low

Period 2 only: Ms. Ryan is coming tomorrow--bring your History Day folder!
Period 6, Ms Ryan is coming Friday--see above!

Homework, due Wednesday, 9/10

All classes:

Complete the latitude/longitude review worksheet.

FYI: You can click on the map above to enlarge it, if you'd like review latitude/longitude in all of the hemispheres (HW just covers the U.S.).

ATTN: Period 2/Period 6

Reminder:

Ms. Ryan will be coming to :

2nd period this Thursday (9/11)

6th period this Friday (9/12)

Please remember to bring your History Day folders!

Also, we will be using the mobile computer lab later this week. If you haven't turned in your
"Web Contract" (HCPSS Expectations for Computer Usage) form, you need to do so.
It was in the 6th grade packet.
I have the list of names--and extra copies of the Web Contract-- if you can't remember.

Vocabulary Quiz, next Wednesday, 9/17

All Classes:

This was announced to several of my classes today--but with two fire drills (period 2 just 'didn't happen' today), and students in sectionals, etc., I'm posting it here as well.
Vocabulary Quiz- Wednesday, Sept. 17.

This is 9 days notice, and I always promise at least a week notice, so we're good...
I will announce again tomorrow, at which point every student should have it written in his/her agenda book.
Period 1, 3, 4- Multiple choice/matching
Period 2, 6 - Read the defintion, provide the word

Homework due Monday, 9/8

All classes:

Complete the "Geography " crossword puzzle. These definitions will be similar to those on the quiz to be announced next week for the following week (9/15-9/19) so it makes a great study tool, as do flash cards.

All classes: Complete the Relative Location worksheet (it has a map of Panama on the back), if you haven't already. Most of Period 1 and 2 students have turned it in. Periods 3, 4, & 6 have not yet.

P.S. If you're reading this on Friday before 8:00 pm and you still haven't made a submission (see the post from earlier this week) there's still time! Great response overall!

Homework, due Friday (Pd 1 and 4) and Sunday (pd 2 and 6)

Homework for Period 1 and 4 is to finish the "Direction and Distance" worksheet from class for tomorrow, Friday, 9/5.

Homework for Period 2 and 6 is to email Ms. Ryan by 11pm Sunday night (but please do it by a reasonable hour!)and tell her something interesting about you.
Her email address can be found in the Staff List on the
Patapsco Middle School home page.
Make sure that you put "History Day" in the subject line.

History Day 2009!

Patapsco Middle School's History Day 2009 is getting under way...!
This is the first year that we will have participation by our 6th , 7th and 8th graders.
We hope to hold the school wide competition in February, the county competition is scheduled for March 21, and the MD state competition....
Ms. Ryan will be in my period 2 and period 6 classes tomorrow (Thurs., 9/4) to present information, exhibit a few samples, as well as answer questions about History Day.
History Day is open to all students, but is a required, graded project for G/T classes.
The research is completed outside of the school, but Ms. Ryan comes to my classroom on a regularly scheduled basis to keep students on track and provide lessons on primary sources, interview questions, bibliographies, etc.

Blog only Extra Credit

Please read the directions to receive credit-
In an effort to generate more traffic to my blog, I will post a "blog only" extra question once or twice per quarter. Students must respond with the correct answer via email--either from their parent's email account, or from their account with a cc: to their parents (school policy).
Deadline is Friday, September 5, 8:00 pm. Please don't respond via "comments", otherwise you will post the answer for all visitors :-(

Question(s):
At the top of this post is a picture of Indonesia.

1. It is part of which continent?
2. It is an example of which vocabulary word?

Homework, Due Thursday, 9/4

All classes:

Complete vocabulary definition for this Thursday,9/4.

Depending on your class you should have either 29 or 35 words.

If I--or Ms. McBride/Ms. Hess--gave you a printed list of words those are the words that you are responsible for.

I will be checking your words for completion on Thursday, but not collecting them. Students should keep definitions to study as well as complete vocabulary activities prior to the vocabulary quiz (TBA).