Monday, 11/25

Today we went back to the computer lab and students finished working on their worksheets about the different people who hold government office positions here in Utah.

This is the last day to work in the computer lab so any students who did not finish their worksheet will need to complete it at home or on their own time at school.

HW: Finish government worksheet
DUE: Calendar

*NO CURRENT EVENTS THIS WEEK*

Friday, November 22

Today we went to the computer lab and research the different figures in Utah's government. This worksheet is not due tomorrow because we will be returning to the computer lab on Monday to continue with our research.

DUE: Today was the last day to turn in Progress Reports with signatures to get extra credit.
HW: No homework. Have a good weekend :)

Thursday, November 21

Today we finished taking the notes on government by talking about the breakdown of government on the county and city level. Students finished their questions from yesterday and then moved onto some review questions about the section.

DUE: Progress Report Signatures for extra credit
HW: Current event DUE TOMORROW

Wednesday, November 20

Today we took notes on the different branches of government. Students then had a series of questions about government to answer using the book.

DUE: Progress Report Signatures if you have them.
HW: Current Event due Friday

Tuesday, November 19

Today we continued with our government unit. Students learned about the similarities and differences between the U.S. Constitution and the Utah Constitution. Students also learned about the characteristics of Utah's Constitution. We then talked about the rights and responsibilities that come with freedoms, democracy, and our Constitution.

Students answered 7 questions out of the textbook about Public schools and Constitutions (we will finish these tomorrow)

DUE: Progress report signatures for extra credit (These will be accepted until Friday!)
HW: Begin searching for a good current event article. Perhaps something about the Philippines. Keep working on memorizing the Preamble!

Monday, 11/18

Today we continued taking notes about Utah government. Students then completed a compare and contrast activity between the Utah Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.

Today I passed out progress reports for all students. If students get their progress report signed by a parent and bring it back to me sometime this week, I will give them extra credit.
NOTE: If any students have a blank where the grade for the essay should be, it does not mean that they are missing the assignment. A blank just means that I have not graded their essay yet.

DUE TODAY: Calendar #11
HW: No homework tonight. Get your progress reports signed! :)

Friday, November 15

We began today by discussing our current event for this week. This current event was about the possibility of Utah changing from a caucus-convention system to an open primary system and how that would affect us. This was a difficult article to break down but students did an awesome job of trying it out and working through the article to understand what it was saying (even though it had a lot of political jargon).

Today I handed back the Unit 2 tests and we went over the logistics of the tests and the most commonly missed questions. Students may take their tests home to work on their tests corrections to earn points back that they missed. Remember, test corrections must be written in complete sentences! Such as: #3 The Great Awakening was a religious revival that took place between 1820-1840. Test corrections that simply are written as 3. A, will not be accepted.

DUE TODAY: Current Events
HW: None :)

Thursday, November 14

Today we began our section about Utah's Constitution and government.

Students took a pre-assessment about government to see how much they already know. We then took notes about government and the beginnings of the government system that we currently have in the U.S.

Students began memorizing the preamble. We are using a song to help us learn it which can be found in the following link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHp7sMqPL0g

DUE TODAY: Utah settlement research worksheets
HW: Current Event (Remember this week you have a required current event article that you picked up yesterday!)

Wednesday, November 13

Today we went back to the library so students could finish their research on their Utah Settlement. Students should have been able to finish this worksheet in the allotted amount of time between today and on Monday. Any students who are not finished need to finish them for homework tonight.

Today students also got a required current event article. This article has a lot of vocab about politics (such as caucus) that I know most kids will not know yet. Students should circle any words that they do not understand and then either look them up or ask me tomorrow. This article is an important matter that could change the way that Utah politicians are chosen and since we are about to start discussing the government and constitution of Utah, it felt appropriate. Any students who already completed a current event for this week on a different article then they have two options: they can either save the article for a different week when I do not require a specific article or they may turn this article in with a note that they would like extra credit.

DUE TODAY: Memory Master Worksheet
HW: Finish Utah Settlement Research
Current Event due on Friday

Tuesday, November 12

Today we finished taking notes on the section for Settling the Great Basin. Students then had 12 questions about this section to answer to help them review. Students should have finished these questions in class. However if they did not, they needed to take the worksheet home to finish.

Tomorrow we will be back in the library to finish our research on our Utah settlements. Make sure that you bring your worksheets!

HW: Finish Memory Master Questions

Monday, November 11

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY!!!

Today we went to the computer lab and began working on our mini research projects about the different early Utah settlements.

DUE: Calendar #10 was due today.
HW: No homework today.

Friday, November 8

Today we continued our discussion about the settlement of Utah. We discussed the different features and purposes of Mormon settlements as well as the effect that the 1848-1849 California Gold Rush had on the West and subsequently Utah.

HW: No homework. Enjoy your weekend! Calendars will be due on Monday so don't forget to turn them in!

Thursday, November 7

Today we started our new unit (Settlement of Utah) and began taking notes about the settlement of the Great Basin region.

After notes, students answered questions about pictures from the textbook to help them think beyond the notes. Pictures and Questions are found on pages 120, 127, and 129.

HW: No official homework. But tonight is the last night to get progress reports signed by parents for extra credit!

*NO CURRENT EVENTS THIS WEEK!

Wednesday, November 6

Today to start prepping for the upcoming new unit (Settling Utah) as well as to give a little reward/break to students for the test yesterday, we started watching the next episode of Ken Burns' documentary "The West".

HW: No homework tonight. Get your parents to sign progress reports so you can get extra credit :)

Tuesday, November 5

TEST DAY!

Today students took the Unit 2 test. Students who did not finish or who were absent will have one week to make up the test.

HW: Relax! Good work today! :)

Monday, November 4

REVIEW DAY!

Today we reviewed for tomorrow's test by playing jeopardy. Students were allowed to only have their study guides out on their desks to use as a reference. I advised students to write answers to the questions we discussed on their study guides as well.

HW: Study for the Unit 2 test!