Thursday, March 15th

Beware the Ides of March!

• Today we spent some time getting organized. We had a test review and binder scores were handed back. Students had a chance to see their updated third quarter grades. 
• We talked about the Lee Miller book Rethinking Roanoke. After determining what may have happened to the "Lost" colonists and who, if anyone, was to blame - we took a look at their videos from yesterday. These videos had their research responses to the question of the Lost Colonists. Interestingly, some actually got it! Others were way off!

Thursday, March 15th

Beware the Ides of March!

• Today we spent some time getting organized. We had a test review and binder scores were handed back. Students had a chance to see their updated third quarter grades. 
• We talked about the Lee Miller book Rethinking Roanoke. After determining what may have happened to the "Lost" colonists and who, if anyone, was to blame - we took a look at their videos from yesterday. These videos had their research responses to the question of the Lost Colonists. Interestingly, some actually got it! Others were way off!

Wednesday, March 14th

Happy Pi Day. Our agenda for today was this:

• Students spent the entire class working on their Cold Case File for the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke. Tomorrow we will see what they found and how close they came to the strongest possible reason why they disappeared. Be sure to check the homework tonight!

Tuesday, March 13th

Today our agenda was:

• Moved on to our next unit - E Pluribus Unum!
• Learned what E Pluribus Unum means and what it stands for in our country's history.
• Background information given for why the English will be coming to the New World. 
• Focused on the search for the "Northwest Passage".
• Learned about the importance of the Defeat of the Spanish Armada!
• Introduced the special "Inquiry" activity for the next day - Cold Case Detectives (The "Lost" Colony of Roanoke) - explained what they would be doing and showed a short video clip.

Monday, March 12th

Test on Pre-Columbian America and Contact with Europeans! See you Tuesday!

Friday, March 9th, 2012

Baseball review game today for the test on Monday!

Thursday, March 8th

Today we wrapped up the Pre-Columbian America and Great Age of European Exploration unit:

• First, we talked about the end of the Cortes story.
• Next, we acted out the play "Spanish American Society in America"
• Finally, Mr. M closed it out by explaining the Treaty of Tordesillas and answering questions for the test.

The Treaty of Tordesillas!

Wednesday, March 7th

Here is a look at what we did today:

• Began with a discussion of the test. Mr. M showed the updated study blog page.
• Next, reviewed the homework - Spanish Victories in the New World.
• Mr. M spent a few minutes teaching about the Columbian Exchange
• Rest of class spent continuing the story of Hernan Cortes!

Tuesday, March 6th

Here is what today looked like:

• Began by listening to what they learned from the primary source documents by Cabeza de Vaca and Coronado. They did a nice job learning what these documents were saying.
• Learned about our third and final conquistador - Hernan Cortes and the conquering of the Aztec empire. Mr. M  gave some background and we watched part of the BBC series Heros and Villains on Cortes - good stuff!

Monday, March 5th

Our agenda today:

• Discussed the coming test (Friday, March 9th) and the study guide.
• Heard our second Conquistador story - Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
• Mr. M shared the backgrounds and legends surrounding the decision to send a Spanish expedition north.
• Mr. M showed a map of the exploration
• We watched and listened to Coronado as he told of his trip to find the Seven Cities of Cibola!

Coronado on his way to Cibola!

Wednesday, February 29th

GO TO STUDY BLOG PAGE TO FIND THE NEW STUDY GUIDE!!!! LOOK TO THE RIGHT!

Today we turned our attention to an infamous group of men - Los Conquistadores!

• Began class by wrapping up our Behaim globe/earthapple lesson
• Introduced the Conquistadors by explaining the situation in the "New World" after the coming of Columbus.
• Read an account by Bartolomeu de las Casas about the destruction/annihilation of the native population of Cuba (to set the stage for describing what most of these Conquistadors were like)
• Shared the story of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
• Discussed some of the homework, too (motivations for coming to America)

Depiction of Cabeza de Vaca