Wednesday Recap
Sorry! I have missed a few days here on the blog, but I'm BACK!
We kick-off Chapter 4 - Greece and Iran 1000-30 BCE - with tonight's chapter preview. The beginning of each chapter is always a new beginning, so to speak. With each chapter, more and more of you are getting the hang of how to approach the reading and note taking. I handed out the notecard term list today, and you can also find it by clicking here.
Grades for the Chapter 3 (open-note/book) quiz are now up on parent portal. Grades are definitely moving in the right direction. How well you do on the quiz at the end of chapter 4 will, in large part, be determined by how well you approach the reading and note taking beginning tonight.
SOAPS
Make sure that you come class tomorrow prepared to discuss the "SOAPing" of the protests documents in chapter 3.
History Fair 2014!
Our history fair journey begins today. Here are a few resources that you may find helpful as you consider topics and categories.
2014 NHD Theme Sheet - Rights & Responsibilities
Sample Topics
Mr. Veliz's LHS History Fair Website
NHD Website
HF Homework - Click here for the HF Topic and Category Selection Form
As you work through this process, please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Day 18 - Notecards and Paragraph Summaries
Be diligent! Work at mastering the art of note taking.
You should be reading through the Aegean World tonight, taking careful notes, writing paragraph summaries, and building your notecards. If you do this well, it will pay off on test day.
Looking Ahead
This weekend's reading assignment will be the Assyrian Empire and Israel. Manage your time wisely. Monday reading assignment will be to finish the chapter.
You should be reading through the Aegean World tonight, taking careful notes, writing paragraph summaries, and building your notecards. If you do this well, it will pay off on test day.
Looking Ahead
This weekend's reading assignment will be the Assyrian Empire and Israel. Manage your time wisely. Monday reading assignment will be to finish the chapter.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Day 17 - Previewing Chapter 13
Wednesday Recap
Today we learned that we would be adding a couple of new elements to our note-taking process. While it may take a little getting used to, I believe that it will pay off in the long run.
As with anything else, the time spent and the attention paid to taking quality notes - either notecards or
journals - will determine how useful they will be. Pay attention to the notecard structure. You will be graded on the quality of your notecards and journal entries.
We also covered our new chapter preview procedure. You should have the requirements taped into your notebooks.
Tonight in APWH
Buy notecards! Lots of notecards!
Tonight is chapter three preview night. Complete the term side of each of the 26 notecards for this chapter, and go through the chapter preview process.
We'll take a look at them tomorrow. I'll also be checking chapter two notes tomorrow, so be prepared.
Today we learned that we would be adding a couple of new elements to our note-taking process. While it may take a little getting used to, I believe that it will pay off in the long run.
As with anything else, the time spent and the attention paid to taking quality notes - either notecards or
We also covered our new chapter preview procedure. You should have the requirements taped into your notebooks.
Tonight in APWH
Buy notecards! Lots of notecards!
Tonight is chapter three preview night. Complete the term side of each of the 26 notecards for this chapter, and go through the chapter preview process.
We'll take a look at them tomorrow. I'll also be checking chapter two notes tomorrow, so be prepared.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Day 16 - #TransformationTuesday
I joked around in one of my AP classes today about making today #transformationtuesday with our chapter two quiz. For many of you it was exactly that.
More than half of the students in my two AP classes scored either an A or B, with another bunch moving up to a C. We are definitely moving in the right direction.
We'll get started with chapter three tomorrow. We'll be incorporating a couple elements into our reading routine.
Enjoy the night off.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
More than half of the students in my two AP classes scored either an A or B, with another bunch moving up to a C. We are definitely moving in the right direction.
We'll get started with chapter three tomorrow. We'll be incorporating a couple elements into our reading routine.
Enjoy the night off.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, September 9, 2013
Day 15 - Chapter 2 Quiz Tomorrow
Sorry that I didn't get anything up here earlier. It's been a busy afternoon and evening.
Make sure you get enough sleep tonight.
I'll put up the thesis info tomorrow.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Make sure you get enough sleep tonight.
I'll put up the thesis info tomorrow.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, September 6, 2013
Day 14 - The Search for Order in China
Friday Recap
Today's reading on the search for order in China should help you better understand the three approaches discussed - Legalism, Confucianism, and Daoism. If you would like to use the reading again, you can find it by clicking here. It can also be found on Edmodo.
We did not, as a class, watch the Crash Course episode on China. However, it is pretty good and I encourage you to give it a go.
This Weekend in APWH
With a chapter quiz coming up on Tuesday, what you should do this weekend should be obvious - STUDY! Rereading the chapter would not be a bad idea, but make sure you also review using the study guide that I've created.
As I mentioned in class today, I encourage you to form a study group - or at least a partnership. Meet at a Starbucks, meet online in a Google Hangout, meet somewhere. This class will be more manageable if you team up with a group of classmates. If there is anything that I can do to help make that happen, please let me know.
Today's reading on the search for order in China should help you better understand the three approaches discussed - Legalism, Confucianism, and Daoism. If you would like to use the reading again, you can find it by clicking here. It can also be found on Edmodo.
We did not, as a class, watch the Crash Course episode on China. However, it is pretty good and I encourage you to give it a go.
This Weekend in APWH
With a chapter quiz coming up on Tuesday, what you should do this weekend should be obvious - STUDY! Rereading the chapter would not be a bad idea, but make sure you also review using the study guide that I've created.
As I mentioned in class today, I encourage you to form a study group - or at least a partnership. Meet at a Starbucks, meet online in a Google Hangout, meet somewhere. This class will be more manageable if you team up with a group of classmates. If there is anything that I can do to help make that happen, please let me know.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Day 13 - Scoring the C & C
Thursday Recap
For homework last night you were to write a compare and contrast based on, at least in part, our study of The Mandate of Heaven. Today in class, you had an opportunity to grade your own essay based on the actual essay rubric that exam readers (and your teacher) will use. I believe that this kind of exercise can be extremely valuable. It is important to learn to access our own work.
I also gave you the opportunity to grade a classmate's essay. As I have said several times already, using each other as learning partners is almost essential to your success in AP World. Figure out who belongs in your study group and start meeting with them regularly.
Tonight
No new material tonight!
That should not mean that you do nothing tonight related to APWH. We have a chapter 2 quiz scheduled for Tuesday. Right now is a great time to begin reviewing/rereading the chapter, and studying your notes.
For homework last night you were to write a compare and contrast based on, at least in part, our study of The Mandate of Heaven. Today in class, you had an opportunity to grade your own essay based on the actual essay rubric that exam readers (and your teacher) will use. I believe that this kind of exercise can be extremely valuable. It is important to learn to access our own work.
I also gave you the opportunity to grade a classmate's essay. As I have said several times already, using each other as learning partners is almost essential to your success in AP World. Figure out who belongs in your study group and start meeting with them regularly.
Tonight
No new material tonight!
That should not mean that you do nothing tonight related to APWH. We have a chapter 2 quiz scheduled for Tuesday. Right now is a great time to begin reviewing/rereading the chapter, and studying your notes.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Day 12 - A good day to discuss the Mandate.
Wednesday Recap
I hope that you all found our class discussion of the Mandate of Heaven interesting and helpful. Admittedly, it is not an easy document to grasp the first time through. Having an opportunity to work through the questions for analysis with a small group of your peers should help clarify some things.
I urge you to read through the article How to Read a Secondary Source that I shared with you today. One of the most important skills that you should take away is being able to handle complex text. This is a skill that must be learned and practiced.
Tonight in APWH
Another of the most important skills to take away from this class is to become a proficient writer. We have an opportunity tonight to move in that direction.
I want you to address question 8 of the Questions for Analysis with a compare and contrast essay. Choose either Egypt or Mesopotamia to compare with China. Remember the feedback that I gave you after our last C&C essay. The document can be found on Edmodo.
The Chapter 2 Quiz will be next Tuesday (I know that I said Monday in class).
I hope that you all found our class discussion of the Mandate of Heaven interesting and helpful. Admittedly, it is not an easy document to grasp the first time through. Having an opportunity to work through the questions for analysis with a small group of your peers should help clarify some things.
I urge you to read through the article How to Read a Secondary Source that I shared with you today. One of the most important skills that you should take away is being able to handle complex text. This is a skill that must be learned and practiced.
Tonight in APWH
Another of the most important skills to take away from this class is to become a proficient writer. We have an opportunity tonight to move in that direction.
I want you to address question 8 of the Questions for Analysis with a compare and contrast essay. Choose either Egypt or Mesopotamia to compare with China. Remember the feedback that I gave you after our last C&C essay. The document can be found on Edmodo.
The Chapter 2 Quiz will be next Tuesday (I know that I said Monday in class).
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Day 11 - The Mandate of Heaven
Tuesday Recap
Today's Knowledge Check quiz looked a little better. Keep working everyday to get better at the reading and note taking. As I reemphasized today in class, this is not a primarily lecture driven class with the content delivered each day in class. There is just too much to cover in way too little time. There will be lectures but they will cover a small percentage of the required content. You must become proficient at acquiring the content through the readings.
I touched on the idea of periodization today. This is an important concept in the study of history, in that it helps us compartmentalize the vast amounts of content into more easily digestible chunks.
With the Labor Day holiday yesterday, we missed out on our Writing Workshop. To make up for that - at least a little - I gave you all the Power Words for Writing handout. Don't lose it! These words take us down the road of lifting the level of writing we produce. Use the list every time you write an essay. The words will become part of your expanding vocabulary.
Finally, we started to dip into document five in our reader - The Mandate of Heaven. We will continue to work through the Questions for Analysis tomorrow, and spend a little time discussing as a class. For a short but informative video on the Mandate, click here.
Tonight for Homework
Based on today's knowledge check, do you feel as though you should spend more time in the first half of the chapter? If so, it will be worth the extra time.
I also need you to finish the reading for chapter two - Nubia and the Americas. Don't skip over the section entitled Comparative Perspectives.
Today's Knowledge Check quiz looked a little better. Keep working everyday to get better at the reading and note taking. As I reemphasized today in class, this is not a primarily lecture driven class with the content delivered each day in class. There is just too much to cover in way too little time. There will be lectures but they will cover a small percentage of the required content. You must become proficient at acquiring the content through the readings.
I touched on the idea of periodization today. This is an important concept in the study of history, in that it helps us compartmentalize the vast amounts of content into more easily digestible chunks.
Finally, we started to dip into document five in our reader - The Mandate of Heaven. We will continue to work through the Questions for Analysis tomorrow, and spend a little time discussing as a class. For a short but informative video on the Mandate, click here.
Tonight for Homework
Based on today's knowledge check, do you feel as though you should spend more time in the first half of the chapter? If so, it will be worth the extra time.
I also need you to finish the reading for chapter two - Nubia and the Americas. Don't skip over the section entitled Comparative Perspectives.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Day 10 - A few days late.
Sorry that I didn't post on Friday. I guess that I started thinking about the long weekend a little too early.
Recap
I hope that everyone walked away from Friday's review of our first chapter quiz with renewed sense of awareness about this course. Rather than sad faces, we should have taken away a more accurate picture of what is required to do well in APWH.
This Weekend
Well, it is time to jump into Chapter Two.
This weekend, make sure you are reading pages 38-51 in the textbook.
Enjoy the rest of your Labor Day weekend.
Recap
I hope that everyone walked away from Friday's review of our first chapter quiz with renewed sense of awareness about this course. Rather than sad faces, we should have taken away a more accurate picture of what is required to do well in APWH.
This Weekend
Well, it is time to jump into Chapter Two.
This weekend, make sure you are reading pages 38-51 in the textbook.
Enjoy the rest of your Labor Day weekend.
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