This is last year's blog...

Attention:

If you are reading this--and I know you are... :-) -- you are looking at my blog from 2008-09.
This year's blog (2009-10) is located at < mrordovensky.edublogs.org > , no "www." needed.
I'm sorry for any confusion.

See you next year

End of Quarter Assessment~Turn in Books

The end of quarter assessment is tomorrow, Tuesday, June 9.

Asian country cultrue projects are due Wednesday, June 10.
They will be presented on Wed, Thurs and Fri (if necessary).
Additionally, I am now collecting text books. The number of the book that you turn in must match the book number that I assigned to you at the beginning of the year

Important ~ Period 2 & period 6

Period 2 and Period 6-

In addition to the open map quiz on Monday, 6/1, you will have a portion of the quiz which is "closed map". For this you will need to know the location of the following countries/physical features:
Country-
China
North Korea
South Korea
Philippines
Vietnam
Laos
Indonesia
Thailand
Cambodia
Japan
Physical features-
Plateau of Tibet
Gobi Desert
Mekong River
Gulf of Tonkin
Hong Kong
Himalayas
Indian Ocean
Huang He River
Java Sea
Honshu

I'll select 5 from each column for you to identify on a blank map.

All classes HW due Monday, 6/1

All classes have a 3 map packet which is due on Monday, 6/1.
We will also be having an open map quiz on Monday, so students MUST bring their maps if they hope to do well.
ALL classes--4th quarter Asia projects are due on June 10th--they will be presented on June 10,11,12.

End of quarter assessment is on Tuesday, June 9. We will be reviewing in class, and students should pay particular attention to the *starred* drills.

Vocabulary due Monday--5/18 (as well as "Gandhi"--see below)

All classes got started with vocabulary today.
All words are in the new text (the book at home), but some are not in the glossary or index.
Check pages 600, 656, 683 and 703.

Homework due Monday, May 18

All classes are completing an organizer about Mohandas Gandhi, based on pages 611-613 in the textbook.
Additionally, most students have questions to answer based on Gandhi's quotes.
This is due Monday, May 18.

4th quarter Asia culture project--all classes

All students selected a country today to research for their 4th quarter project.
There are 24 countries available and they were assigned via a lottery system.

The five students who were absent will have to select from the remaining countries when they return.

The project focuses on the culture of these South, East,and Southeast Asian countries.
Specific directions and requirements have been provided (2-sided sheet, distributed today) for each of my classes.

HW--All classes-due Fri., 5/8

All classes are to finish the "caste system" pyramid that was begun in class.
3 sentences describing each level of the caste system should be completed already.
4-7 sentence paragraph on the back of the pyramid explaining how your life would be affected if you were a member at one of the levels (Things you could do, things you couldn't do, decisions that were automatically made for you, etc.)
NOTE: about 20% of my students have already completed and turned in their pyramid...so parents, if your son/daughter says they finished their HW in school, it's possible that they did... :-)

H-O-M-E-W-O-R-K---All classes-Due Tues., 5/5

H-
I-
N-
D-
U-
I-
S-

M-

All classes are to complete the acrostic using the notes that we completed in class--15.4-15.8.

The acrostic uses the word: "Hinduism", and students are to write a relevant phrase or sentence using one of the letters in Hinduism as the first letter.
Some students are permitted to write a word instead of a phrase or sentence--they have that designation on their "Hinduism" worksheet.

No homework over the weekend

No homework for all classes over the weekend.
We're are studying Hinduism and the creation of the caste system.
Next week we'll also look how Buddhism came to be.

This Just In....End of Quarter Assessment will be on Tuesday, June 9.

Homework--due Thursday, 4/30

All classes are studying the Indus River valley civilization of Mohenjo~Daro.
We began working on organizers with partners in class today, and some groups have already finished the note-taking portion of the assignment. This must be completed in class, due to the supplemental text book we're using (only 22 available).
All students are to complete a "Dig It" magazine cover for homework for Thursday, 4/30, using the 3 artifact drawing from their organizers.
A "Dig It" template has been distributed to nearly all students. Those who do not have it will receive it tomorrow.

All classes-MAP QUIZ on Monday

All classes will take the South Asia map quiz on Monday, 4/27.
Student MUST bring their map packets (3 maps) to help them on the quiz, as well as to turn them in after the quiz.
These are the same maps that I checked for completion on Friday--some students did not have their maps with them. PLEASE bring them Monday, you'll do much better on the quiz!

All classes HW, quiz update

Welcome to the 4th quarter!
We'll be covering a sizeable portion of Asia--24 countries---in just several weeks.

First, we'll examine South Asia--the region dominated by India.
In early May we'll shift our focus to East Asia (China, Japan, N. & S. Korea),and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, etc.)

All classes have a vocabulary puzzle for HW due Monday, 4/20. It is based on the definitions which we started last Tuesday. The vocabulary quiz is this Wednesday, 4/22--for all classes.
All classes have a 3 page map packet which we began on Thursday,4/16. The map packet is due Friday, 4/24.

All classes HW due Friday, 4/17

All classes have vocabulary words that are to be defined by Friday, 4/17.
We've been using several of the words in class and some we've used earlier in the year (archipelago and sediment).
Additionally, students will be given a crossword puzzle on Friday,with definitions simliar to the ones that will be on the quiz.
Vocabulary quiz for all classes was announced yesterday, (Tues.). It will be on Wednesday, 4/23.
Students are encouraged to study for 20 minutes each evening--not waiting until Tues. night!

Blog Only Extra Credit-- Name the man at the top of this post--(he's a "vocabulary word")--.
Send answer by 8 pm Sunday, 4/19 via email to
Mr. O's Extra Credit

Period 2 & 6 African Independence assignment

SPRING BREAK!

Due to technical difficulties we could not connect to the server today (Fri) to transfer .ppt slides relating to African independence (Pd 6).

I printed copies of Pd 2's .ppts but due to the "switched" schedule today--I did not see period 2 as originally planned--so these were not presented, but I will grade the printouts.

I will just consider these an ungraded assignment for Pd. 6.

Some days technology is great, and other days are like today...
Have a great spring break!

End of Quarter Assessment, Tues. 3/31

All classes will be taking the End of Quarter assessment on Tues., 3/31.
I provided a study guide to all students to complete for homework this weekend.
We will go over it on Monday, to make sure everyone has the correct information.
Answers can be found in the drill book, text book, or other worksheets that we completed this quarter. I will check my email several times this weekend--students may email if they have questions regarding the study guide.
(There are a few students who are taking a field trip that day who will make up the assessment on Wednesday, 4/1.)

Homework due tomorrow, Friday, 3/27

All classes: Economic "poster" (actually an 8 1/2" x 11" drawing).
This is a graded homework assignmnet, but several of the best--20 or 30--will be selected to be sent in the the MD Economic Education Council at Townson University. They conduct a calendar contest each spring, and a Patapsco 6th grader won last year! I'd like to keep the streak going! (see the sample in the post below).

Periods 1,3,4: African Countries Independence timeline.
On legal sized paper (provided in class today)
Include 6 dates/events from the reading--color illustration for each event drawing is fine--no need to print.
Started in class today, due tomorrow, Friday, 3/27

All classes--projects due Monday, 3/23

All classes' projects are due on Monday.

Periods 1,3,4: Sub Saharan Endangered Animal .ppt or poster
Periods 2 and 6: African tribe .ppt or poster.

Homework due next Friday, 3/27: MD Economic Concept "poster".
This is not really a poster, per se, but an 8 1/2" x 11" (horizontal) illustration of one of the 6 economic concepts that we've gone over in class.
Students had the opportunity to get started in class, rough drafts, ideas, etc., but it is to be finished at home. This will be completed for a grade in my class, and the best will be sent to Towson University to be entered in the MD Economic Education calendar contest. A $50.00 Treasury bond goes to the winner (16 winners) as well as publication in the 2009-10 calendar (see sample above-click to enlarge). Again, follow the directions for your best chance to win!

Homework Pd 2 and 6

Period 2 and 6 are working on a letter to persuade the President or a Congressman to abolish the Atlantic slave trade. It was begun in class today--students had an opportunity to use their Equiano reading and .ppt notes to do some prewriting.
The final, typed copy is due on Friday, 3/13. Please attach prewriting (outline, bullets,web, or rough draft) to your final copy.

No homework, Periods 1,3,4, however, the Endangered African animal project is due Mon. 3/23.
End of Quarter Assessment 3/31

Homework tonight-all classes

Today, all classes viewed a .ppt presentation covering slavery and the Middle Passage.

Homework for all classes is to read the 4th and 5th pages of the packet distributed today, from Olaudah Equiano's autobiography. (They are numbered "46,47, and 48" at the bottom.)

We will be writing based on the reading tomorrow in class.

IMPORTANT .ppt note!

If you are doing a PowerPoint presentation for your project, please save it as:

Windows - PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation
Mac- PowerPoint 98-2004

Our school Macs can't open the .pptx files that Microsoft Office 2007 creates--yet.
Your file should end in .ppt.

Due Date for all projects:Monday, 3/23/09

Here are links for the projects...

These links are "clickable" now...

Periods 1,3,4:
Animal Diversity
Animal Info
eWildlife
Hogle Zoo
Africa Cultural Center
Kids Planet

Periods 2,6
Africa Guide
University of Iowa Africa Art
African Art and Customs
Yahooligans

3rd Quarter Project assigned today

All classes were assigned a project today which will be due on Monday, March 23.

Period 1,3,4 are researching endangered African animals for a contemporary issues project.
Several student heard "animal" and immediately wanted to research pandas, chinchillas, etc. I stressed in class and will stress again here: African and Endangered. We will select tomorrow in class, but students were asked to think of their top three choices tonight so hopefully one will be available when it is their turn to pick (I'm doing a random lottery).
Periods 2, 6 are researching tribes in SubSaharan Africa. The selection list was distributed today, and tribes will be selected tomorrow, by lottery. Students were encouraged do a brief background on a few tribes tonight so that they would be able to have a preference when it was their turn to choose a tribe. (I will be doing a lottery with students to allow everyone an equal opportunity to select a tribe.) Each tribe may only be done by one student--or two if they are partners--in each class. For example, Zulu in Period 2 and Zulu in Period 6 is ok.

Homework Due Monday 2/23

John Venn

All classes have a writing assignment for homework this weekend.

Period 1 is the only class that many students have already completed and turned in the assignment.

Period 1,3,4- Include the East/West African kingdom Venn diagram with your BCR.

Period 2,6--Attach your three sheets in this order: 1)Big Dig in Millineum Island (instructions and organizer sheet), 2) the map of "Millineum Island" with a point marked to dig, and 3) a letter to Dr. Artifact explaining why your selected spot is the best place to dig.

Pd 2 and Pd 6

Countries and Physical Features to know for quiz on Friday,2/13

Chad, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana,
Ethiopia, Liberia, Rwanda, Somalia, D.R.C., Equatorial Guinea


Mt. Kilimanjaro, Congo River, Namib Desert, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Victoria Falls,
Gulf of Guinea, Niger River, Orange River, Kalahari Desert

Vocabulary quiz next week

Today all classes were told of the vocabulary quiz scheduled for next Wednesday, 2/11.
All classes have completed the definitions and/or crossword (Pd 2 and 6 get the crossword on Thursday) --those few that haven't have a "Social Studies Homework Missing" stamp in their agenda book on Monday or Wednesday.

Students are encouraged to study several minutes each evening--not to wait until Tues. night :-) .

I have a .ppt review that I will show in class, and will also try to post here as well.

Above is a pic of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. In Sub-Saharan vocab, remember it is a "cataract".

Homework, 2/4--History Day update

History Day presentations went very well today. We had lots of judges from around the school, as well as some VIP judges from outside the school- Dr. Mark Stout, Bob Coleman, and Arden Stara--HCPSS secondary Social Studies coordinator, middle school Social Studies resource teacher , and high school Social Studies resource teacher, respectively.

Homework for Periods 1,3,4--complete the vocabulary crossword puzzle for Wednesday, 2/4. We will go over the words in class and there will be a quiz next week. I will not collect the puzzle, as it should be used as a study tool.
Period 2 and6. Vocabulary definitions 1-34 will be due on Wednesday, 2/4. Those classes will have time in class Tues to work on definitions, as well as make sure they have they entire list--due to absences, sectionals, History Day, etc.

History Day at PMS Monday, Feb 2.

Period 2 and 6 will be presenting their projects to teachers/teachers/judges today.
Students have a copy of the questions that judges may ask them regarding how they did their research, what they learned, etc.

Periods 1,3,4: Vocabulary word definitions are due Monday, Feb. 2--I'll just check them, not collect them.
Vocabulary quiz will be the week of Feb 9-13-date to be determined this upcoming week.
Study a little each night!
Period 2/6: Your vocabulary is due Wednesday, Feb., 4. Same rules-quiz week of Feb. 9-13, date TBA.

Update

"Happy New Year (of the Ox) 4707


"Have An Ice Day"

Due to the closings and delays of this past week the Central Office has provided teachers with a few more days to get grades on report cards, soooo...Report cards will now be going home on Monday, February 9.


Period 2 and 6--History Day boards are due this week, and several have been streaming in and filling up the back of my classroom--and they look great!
Reminder: tomorrow we are taking the boards to the media center and placing them so we will be ready for the judges on Monday, Feb 2.

Inauguration 2009

A few pictures from my field trip on Tuesday, January 20, 2009...

*Reminders*

Much of the work we have been doing recently in class has involved using almanacs (Middle East economy packet, computers (creating iMovies) and group work (the aforementioned as well as other assignments).

Pd 2 & 6: if you are doing revisions for your 1000 word paper they are due to me by Friday, 1/16. Please attach the grading rubric with your earlier grade to your revisions.

*End of quarter assessment is on Wednesday, 1/21. Students will receive a study guide on Thursday. This is for the student's benefit--it is not a homework/graded activity, per se. But the end of quarter assessment IS graded, and completion of the study guide will definitely help with that score. The guide covers more info than the assessment--the assessment may look easy by comparison.
I will be able to provide answers/clarification in class or via email until about 10pm on Tuesday, 1/20.

History Day Chat~ Periods 2 & 6

I received this email(click to enlarge) this afternoon and thought it would be helpful for parents and students that are working on History Day projects. It looks to be an online chat TONIGHT--Tuesday, January 13 ! I'm pretty sure that the transcript of the chat will be saved on the nhd.org website, so if you're reading this too late to participate, you can scroll through the Q & A later!

Happy New Year! Assessment info

The 2nd quarter assessment will be on Wednesday, January 21. Students are encouraged to review their drills--especially the *starred* drills--for an overview of the topics covered on the assessment. Additionally, students should review and be familiar withtheir 2nd quarter (MENA) vocabulary.

I will provide a study guide the week prior to the assessment.