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.