Binder Check and Test: Storm Delay

Because of the unexpected school closure we will have the following due/test dates:

• Nothing is due the day we return to school, on Thursday. I want everyone to have a chance to get things together before I start taking grades.
  
• The Social Studies Fair Category and Project is due on the school day after we return to class, on Friday.
• The Binder Check will be on Monday.
• Test 1.1 will be on Tuesday.

Of course, the first point sheet will be delayed until the first test is graded. There would be little reason to issue a point sheet with no test grade.

Binder Check on Wednesday, Test 1.1 Thursday

The binder check will be on Wednesday -- I have delayed it to give students another class day to trace their art maps (GLE #3). Test 1.1 will be on Thursday.

The binder check will include any bellringers not collected in class, the GLE #1 worksheet, and the northwest Louisiana parishes listed on page #3 of the GLE #2 worksheets should be added to your maps for waterways and parishes/parish seats.

Social Studies Fair Topic & Category Due Tuesday

Your Social Studies Fair Topic and Category Worksheet is due on Tuesday. If you lost the copy I supplied in class you may download and print another here:
Social Studies Fair Topic and Category Worksheet

Enjoyed Meeting You All at Back to School Night

Thanks to all those who joined us for Back to School Night. It was a pleasure to meet you. The presentation is available on my iDisk (see the links to the right) for anyone unable to join us tonight.

Sketch Pads in Stock at OfficeMax

I just bought an 11" by 14" Bienfang sketch pad at OfficeMax. Office Depot on 70th Street had some larger Foray pads that are acceptable. The one available online on my last post had a firmer back than the others, but that's optional. I spoke with an employee at Office Depot about ordering more sketch pads.

Sketch Pad

Please bring your sketch pad to class next week. The sketch pad should be 11" by 14" and have 100 sheets. We will use the sketch pad for student-generated graphic organizers, such as mind maps. The larger paper makes it easier to make the graphic organizers by giving the student more space to work. I recommend the Bienfang brand but other brands are acceptable. You may order them through Office Depot (item number #334870):
Bienfang Sketch Pad

Try Google Earth

Google Earth is a FREE program that puts a globe on your computer. If you want to try it the address is:
http://earth.google.com/

You may import the Google Maps posted on this blog into Google Earth to see many of the items you need for the GLE #2 worksheets and the GLE #3 art map project.

Google Earth is also a lot of fun.

Workdays on Thursday & Friday

We will have project workdays on Thursday and Friday. Please bring your foam board and any supplies you want to use for the art map. You may also use this time to work on the GLE #2 worksheet.

About the GLE #2 Worksheet

GLE #2 will be completed over the next several weeks. We will break the assignment into regions and study around 10 parishes each week. You do not have to have the whole assignment done by the next binder check.

Google Map for the GLE #3 Art Map Project: Cities

View Larger Map

Google Map for the GLE #3 Art Map Project: Waterways

View Larger Map

Google Map for the GLE #3 Art Map Project: Roadways

View Larger Map

Google Map for the GLE #3 Art Map Project: Plantations

View Larger Map

The Google Map for GLE #2: Lakes & Reservoirs

View Larger Map

The Google Map for GLE #2: Islands

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The Google Map for GLE #2: Rivers

View Larger Map

The Google Maps for GLE #2: Coastal Waterways

View Larger Map

Textbooks

Textbooks were sent home today. Do not bring them back to school unless asked to do so. I have a class set, so there is no need to haul your book to class each day.

Weekly Preview

What's up for next week?

Monday

• Issue textbooks
• Watch a film about longitude (reviews prior learning on map skills)
  
• GLE #1 Presentation and Worksheet

Tuesday

• More longitude film
• Finish the GLE #1 presentation and time zone activity

Wednesday

• GLE #2 presentation and map activity
• More of the longitude film

Thursday

• Finish the longitude film
• More class time for GLE #2 map activity
  
• Class time to work on the Art Map of Louisiana

Friday

• The GLE #4 presentation
• The GLE #4 chart on northwest Louisiana
• More class time for GLE #2 map activity
• Class time to work on the Art Map of Louisiana

The Supply List

I do not collect supplies from my students, but I do want my students to have the supplies they need for class. The supply list includes my recommendations with the Office Depot item numbers. The sketch pad does not have to be the Bienfang brand (though I have found that to be a quality product). Be sure you get a sketch pad and not tracing paper (tracing paper is too thin). The size should be at least 11" x 14" and should be spiral bound wih at least 100 sheets. Please have the 3x5 cards and sketch pad by next week if possible.

The Supply List
http://www.paulblankenship.com/supplies.pdf

Map Basics Crossword

We will review previous learning about maps and introduce time zones through the Map Basics Crossword. Some of the clues are brainteasers. I'll check your work on the puzzle on the first binder check on 02 September 2008 (more about binder checks later).

Printable Version
http://www.paulblankenship.com/MapBasicsCrossword2008.pdf

Interactive Version
http://www.paulblankenship.com/map-basics-crossword

First Test Scheduled for Wednesday, 03 September 2008

The first test will be on Wednesday, 03 September 2008. We will not take a test next week because we are spending this week working on the pretest assessment and starting the Art Map and Social Studies Fair Projects. I do not want to schedule a test immediately after the Labor Day weekend, so we will test on Wednesday rather than Tuesday.

Course Calendar Updated

I have updated the course calendar and embedded it at the bottom of this page.

Link to the course calendar

Social Studies Fair Packet and 8th Grade Additional Instructions

I provided a copy of the Social Studies Fair Packet and Additional Instructions for the 8th Grade in class. If you lose your copy of either please print another from these links. You are assigned to read these tonight, write down any questions, and bring your questions to the library on Thursday and Friday. Report directly to the library; do not go to the G-Wing.

The Social Studies Fair Packet
http://www.paulblankenship.com/SocialStudiesFairPacket.pdf

Additional Instructions for the 8th Grade
http://www.paulblankenship.com/ssfair8thinstructions.pdf

Art Map Foam Board Should be 22" x 28"

The correct size for the foam board for the Art Map is 22" x 28" as listed on the front. Please change your rubric to reflect that or print a new set of instructions:

http://www.paulblankenship.com/gle03ArtMapofLouisianaProjectInstruction.pdf

Board Cam: Important Dates

Important dates are posted on the board to the right in my classroom. Students are expected to check that board daily for updates and note any information provided in their agendas.

The board says:
"Due dates:
- Art Map of Louisiana -- 2nd October
- Research Paper -- 30th October
- Topic & category due 2nd September
- Social Studies Fair Display and Oral Presentation due 13 January 2007"

The papers on the board are the grade-level expectations (GLEs) we will address in the first week. They are GLEs #1 and #70. GLE #1, which we address through a presentation and assignment, is "Use time zones in the United States or the International Date Line to interpret a map or representation of a globe and calculate current times in different places." GLE #70, which we address through the Social Studies Fair research paper, states "Conduct historical research using a variety of resources, and evaluate those resources, to answer historical questions related to Louisiana history."

Welcome to Louisiana Studies

Perhaps you are thinking, "But Mr. B., my schedule says 'Louisiana History?'"

Yes, it does. However, the official course title is a little misleading. The course objectives set by the State of Louisiana (also known as "grade-level expectations," or "GLEs" for short) are almost evenly divided between geography, civics, economics, and history. We will start the course with an overview of expectations. We will discuss major projects, especially the research paper. We will then cover the GLEs that concern historical thinking skills (62-70) to prepare you to complete the class projects that use these skills.