another tutoring time change

Hello all--

Because the faculty meeting time has changed, I have to change my tutoring time again.  Remember, this is just the time for drop-ins; students can still make an appointment at another, more convenient time.  I wanted to put it to you so I could serve the maximum number of families with my drop-in time: when is best for you?

*THE POLL IS NOW CLOSED.  THANK YOU FOR VOTING!*

finals

I have everyone's grades on the history finals.  If you would like to know what your child earned, feel free to send me an e-mail!

I will try to be available at least every other day by e-mail with my holiday travels.  Apologies in advance if I don't respond promptly!

final exam HISTORY study guide 7th grade

Here is the study guide for 7th grade.  Please see the note on the 6th grade study guide for more information.

Be able to describe the major achievements of the following people:

Hammurabi:_________________________________________________________________

Gilgamesh:__________________________________________________________________

Shulgi:_____________________________________________________________________

Enheduanna:_________________________________________________________________

Nebuchadnezzar II:_____________________________________________________________

Ashurnasirpal II:______________________________________________________________

Sargon:_____________________________________________________________________

Sin-leqe-unnini:_______________________________________________________________

Solomon:____________________________________________________________________

David:_____________________________________________________________________

Omri:______________________________________________________________________

Saul:______________________________________________________________________

Puabi:_____________________________________________________________________

Joseph:____________________________________________________________________

Moses:_____________________________________________________________________

Cyrus:_____________________________________________________________________

Tira-Il:_____________________________________________________________________

Darius I:___________________________________________________________________

Noah:_____________________________________________________________________

Mebaragesi:_________________________________________________________________

List 3 key facets of the justice system in Ancient Mesopotamia.

List the five major regions of Ancient Mesopotamia.

Say one thing you learned about each one of these professions in Ancient Mesopotamia:

workers:______________________________________________________________________

slaves:_______________________________________________________________________

professionals:__________________________________________________________________

marriage:_____________________________________________________________________

palace life:____________________________________________________________________

education:_____________________________________________________________________

scribes:_______________________________________________________________________

houses:_______________________________________________________________________

Circle the correct answer for the following sentences/questions.

1. Archaeologists rarely find things made of metal because

a. it rapidly deteriorates

b. they don’t have the technology

c. metal detectors are too expensive

d. it’s often stolen by grave-robbers

2. The Mesopotamians lived near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers because

a. the rest of the region was too lush

b. the rest of the region was desert

c. they lacked imagination

d. the rest of the region was tundra

3. Two of the earliest important innovations in Mesopotamia were

a. the Mayan calendar and the plow

b. sliced bread and clay pots

c. the potter’s wheel and the plow

d. the potter’s wheel and the wagon

4. The major events of the invention of writing happened in the following order

a. pictures used to represent nounsàclay tokens used to represent ownershipàsymbols used for syllables

b. symbols used for syllablesàclay tokens used to represent ownershipàpictures used to represent nouns

c. clay tokens used to represent ownershipàsymbols used for syllablesàpictures used to represent nouns

d. clay tokens used to represent ownershipàpictures used to represent nounsàsymbols used for syllables

5. The first known author is

a. Enheduanna

b. Sargon

c. Hammurabi

d. Shulgi

6. The Sumerian King List is

a. entirely factual because it is a primary source

b. not entirely factual because it says early kings ruled for 1000+ years

c. not entirely factual because it says Hammurabi wrote the first laws

d. entirely false

7. “The Epic of Gilgamesh” is about

a. a dog stolen from his home and forced to work in Alaska

b. Gilgamesh praying to the moon god Inanna

c. Gilgamesh  going on adventures with his best friend, Enkidu

d. Gilgamesh leading Ur

8. Sargon was the world’s first

a. empire-builder

b. wall-builder

c. law-builder

d. king

9. ___________________ made the first written laws.

a. Hammurabi

b. Shulgi

c. Gilgamesh

d. Sargon

10. The ancient Mesopotamian justice system included

a. many lawyers

b. many juries

c. many contracts

d. many gavels

11. One way kings did not cement friendships across nations was

a. send their daughters to marry foreign kings

b. write to each other on clay tablets

c. lend each other their city’s god statues

d. lend each other books

12. An orchard is composed of

a. food-producing trees or rubber trees

b. only food-producing tress

c. only rubber trees

d. none of the above

13. The kingdom of Babylon was destroyed in 1595 BCE by the

a. Sumerians

b. Hittites

c. Kassites

d. Akkadians

14. The conquerors of Babylon did all of the following except

a. take the city’s gold and silver

b. enslave the city’s people

c. rule the city after its defeat

d. take the city’s god statues

15. The Kassite language tells us a lot about

a. epic stories

b. modern Indo-European languages

c. the Hittites

d. the Babylonians

On a separate sheet of paper,

1. Describe the Narmer Palette, physically and symbolically.

2. Describe how Egyptians treated their pharaohs (use quotes from a primary source).

3. Describe what the Egyptians thought the Nile did for them.

4. Tell the story of how the Egyptians built pyramids and when.

1. Describe Hatshepsut’s reign (particularly the three things she had to do in order to be a good pharaoh).

2. Describe Akhenaten’s reign (particularly in relation to the three pillars of Ancient Egypt.)

3. Tell Tutankhamen’s story (tell particularly about his death.)

4. Tell the story of the Battle of Qadesh.

Fill in the following chart.

Major Time Periods in Ancient Egypt

Name of Time Period	Years	Dynasties in Power

final exam HISTORY 6th grade study guide

The study guides I handed out yesterday were meant to be guides.  If a student got the questions 100% correct on a test, and can show me the test, then he/she doesn't have to complete that question on the study guide.  In addition to the time they can spend at home, they also have been given and will be given time in class to work on it.  *NOTE THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO MY SEVENTH GRADE LIT/COMP CLASS*

Here's is the study guide for 6th grade:

Vocabulary:

Protestantism:__________________________________________________________________

plantation:____________________________________________________________________

presidio:______________________________________________________________________

mission:______________________________________________________________________

pueblo:_______________________________________________________________________

conquistador:__________________________________________________________________

circumnavigate:_________________________________________________________________

mosque:______________________________________________________________________

archaeology:___________________________________________________________________

strait:________________________________________________________________________

nomad:_______________________________________________________________________

irrigate:______________________________________________________________________

charter:______________________________________________________________________

joint-stock company:_____________________________________________________________

headright:_____________________________________________________________________

burgess:______________________________________________________________________

persecute:_____________________________________________________________________

patroon:______________________________________________________________________

pacifist:______________________________________________________________________

indentured servant:______________________________________________________________

triangular trade:________________________________________________________________

cash crop:_____________________________________________________________________

representative government:_________________________________________________________

mercantilism:__________________________________________________________________

epidemic:_____________________________________________________________________

militia:_______________________________________________________________________

revenue:______________________________________________________________________

writ of assistance:________________________________________________________________

boycott:______________________________________________________________________

repeal:_______________________________________________________________________

resolution:____________________________________________________________________

effigy:________________________________________________________________________

rebellion:_____________________________________________________________________

propaganda:___________________________________________________________________

committee of correspondence:_______________________________________________________

minuteman:___________________________________________________________________

Loyalist:______________________________________________________________________

Patriot:_______________________________________________________________________

petition:______________________________________________________________________

preamble:_____________________________________________________________________

mercenary:____________________________________________________________________

inflation:_____________________________________________________________________

Hessian:______________________________________________________________________privateer:_____________________________________________________________________

ratify:________________________________________________________________________

ambush:______________________________________________________________________

federalism:____________________________________________________________________

manumission:__________________________________________________________________

proportional:___________________________________________________________________

republic:______________________________________________________________________

bicameral:_____________________________________________________________________

Executive Branch:_______________________________________________________________

Legislative Branch:_______________________________________________________________

Judicial Branch:_________________________________________________________________

compromise:___________________________________________________________________

ordinance:____________________________________________________________________

checks and balances:_____________________________________________________________

Electoral College:________________________________________________________________

depression:____________________________________________________________________

depreciate:____________________________________________________________________

amendment:___________________________________________________________________

judicial review            :_________________________________________________________________

due process :___________________________________________________________________

concurrent power:_______________________________________________________________

reserved power:_________________________________________________________________

naturalization:__________________________________________________________________

implied power:_________________________________________________________________

popular sovereignty:______________________________________________________________

separation of powers:_____________________________________________________________

enumerated power:______________________________________________________________

Answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Name one result of the Spanish armada.

2. What is the leading theory on how human beings first came to America?

3. Which city was the center of the Aztec empire?

4. Why were Native American customs so varied?

5. How many people did Christopher Columbus say would be required in order to keep all the people of North America in subjection?

6. Give one reason the Iroquois Federation Constitution was written.

7. What is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source?

8. What is the difference between an astrolabe and a compass?

9.Where was the first successful colony in America?  (city and state please)

10. Who was primarily responsible for its success?

11. Who bred indigo, making it a viable cash crop for the South?

12. What roadblock did the Navigation Acts put up for American colonists?

13. Who led a famous rebellion that conquered most of Virginia, including Jamestown?

14. Why didn’t the colonies accept Ben Franklin’s Plan of Union?

15. How did the British victory over the French effect the Native Americans of the Ohio River Valley?

16. In what cardinal direction did English settlement spread over time?

17. Did everyone in the colonies agree to becoming their own country?

18. How were Loyalists treated?

19. Why did the Continental Army have a hard time finding officers?

20. What was the result of the War at Sea?

21. Whom did the Native Americans want to win and why?

22. Who was the naval hero and why?

23. Why did Greene split the army in two?

24.Who was the leader of the Spanish troops and what did he do?

25. Who used hit and run tactics?

26. What did the British rely on?

27. List two Patriot advantages.

28. Where did the British forces stay over winter?

29. How did America gain allies?

30. Why was there a lack of supplies at Valley Forge?

31. Why was the Battle of Saratoga such a turning point?

32. Why did women start to question their role in society?

33. How did France help us?

34. How did Spain help us?

35. What was the name of the treaty that called for peace after the war?

36. Who helped the colonists win the war?

37. Where was Washington planning to attack first?

38. How did Washington prevent revolt?

39. Why were American soldiers mad at Congress?

40. What were the three Patriot forces that met up at Yorktown?

41. How many votes did each state have in the original Congress?

42. How many votes were required for the Constitution to be ratified?

43. Where did the Framers of the Constitution get their ideas from?

44. How does the Constitution limit the power of the federal government?

45. What kind of government was created by the Articles of Confederation?

46. What problems did the government face under the Articles of Confederation?

47. How did leaders reshape the government?

48. What process allowed new states to join the Union?

49. What did the Northwest Ordinance say about slavery?

50. What major compromise was reached in the new Constitution, between the Virginia and New Jersey plans?

51. What are the two houses of the Legislative Branch?

52. How many voting members does each house have?

53. What is one of your duties as a citizen?

54. How many Supreme Court Justices are there?

55. What is the leader of the Judicial Branch called?

56. What is the leader of the Executive Branch called?

57. What is the set of the first ten amendments called?

Label the states and spell them correctly. (You already have a practice sheet for this.)

List ten of the grievances from the Declaration of Independence.

List the thirteen (original) colonies.

Write the first paragraph of the Declaration of Natural Rights.

state studying tools

Thank you to Mrs. Schwab who so kindly e-mailed me these state placement studying tools!

http://www.spellingcity.com/view-spelling-list.html?listId=3818697&x=a78d8

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm

tutoring this week

Seeing as my final is on Monday of next week (12/17/12), I am offering extra tutoring opportunities this week.

Tuesday: at lunch in room 611 (Miss Smith's room)

Wednesday: after school in My. Huynh's classroom

Thursday: at lunch in room 611 (Miss Smith's room)

Friday: at lunch in room 612 (my classroom)

I am available for help with both Lit/Comp and History at all four times.  Should none of these times work for you, please contact me as soon as possible so that we can schedule something else.  Please send your students to me with specific questions or topics they need help with, so as to expedite the tutoring process.

Yours in extra help,

Miss Fischer

Missing Homework E-mails

With this busy time of year rolling around, I have chosen to lighten my load by not sending missing homework e-mails every night any longer.  If you are wondering whether your child has turned in a particular assignment, feel free to send me an e-mail and I am happy to let you know.  If this doesn't work for you, and you'd prefer I continue sending daily e-mails, just let me know that as well and I will try my best to accommodate you.

homework/study schedule

As finals approach and more students request help putting together a homework schedule, I thought it may be useful for this to be accessible to everyone.

Here is a typical night.  You'll notice that all but two subjects request 30 minutes, adding up to a homework load of between 2 and 3 hours each night.  Except for R and R weekends and extremely rare exceptions, all students should have homework in all subjects every night.

The order things happen in is flexible.

3:30-4: get home, eat a snack, etc.
4-4:15: study Latin paradigms and vocabulary
4:15-4:30: Latin worksheet
4:30-4:35: take a break
4:35-4:50: Lit/Comp reading, exercise, etc.
4:50-5:05: Lit/Comp study definitions of vocab. and grammar
5:05-5:10: break
5:10-5:30: History reading, writing, etc.
5:30-5:40: look over History notes and study vocab
5:40-5:45: break
5:45-6:05: science reading, worksheet, etc.
6:05-6:15: study science definitions and look over notes
6:15-7: eat dinner
7-7:30: math homework (Note: If you finish early, move on to art.  If it takes you longer than 30 minutes, stop and go see Mr. Huynh before school in his classroom the following day to ask for help.)
7:30-8: art homework

Every student and their family has a different schedule, including various extra-curricular activities.  Please feel free to come to tutoring or make an appointment if you'd like help making a homework schedule that better suits you.

Yours in time management,
Miss Fischer

Ben Franklin's Argument for the Turkey as the National Bird

"Others object to the Bald Eagle, as looking too much like a Dindon, or Turkey. For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country...

I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."

Yours in National Pride,

Miss Fischer

tutoring time change

Hi everyone,

I am changing my tutoring time due to transportation issues.  It is now at Wednesdays after school from 2:05-2:45.  I am still available by appointment.

Interactive Egypt

Here is the link promised to my students today during class.  :)  Enjoy!

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/explore-ancient-egypt.html

Spelling Practice

There will be spelling practice each Tuesday after school.  This will be a time when I can teach students strategies for spelling according to etymology, and remembering words that seem like exceptions.  Anyone is invited as many or as few times as they would like, but please note that if your child is choosing between this and attending tutoring if needed, I would encourage them to attend tutoring.

test/quiz signatures

I am missing about 65 tests and quizzes sent out for signature this quarter.  Tomorrow is the last day to get these in.  Remember, it is a 0 until it comes back signed.  7A is getting back some quizzes and tests today; please sign these if there is a parent signature line as well.

7B homework this weekend

Hi 7B,

I gave you the wrong worksheet for this weekend.  Please disregard this worksheet and work on rewriting your paper on Egyptian feelings about the Nile.

6th grade homework this weekend

6th grade had a pretty hefty homework assignment this weekend.  It seems like it shouldn't take longer than an hour, but if it does, just have your child stop and send me a note via e-mail to let me know he/she couldn't complete it.  I don't want to take up your whole weekend.  :)

Yours in bite-sized assignments,
Miss Fischer

No homework 7th grade

I just wanted to confirm that there is no homework for 7A or 7B this weekend.

Ancient History Textbooks

Please send your child's copy of The Ancient Near Eastern World with him/her to school tomorrow.  I am collecting these.  Students who do not turn their copy in will have the cost deducted from their book deposit.

A Thought on Liberal Education from Eva Brann

"The very distinction between learning free of interested motive and training for practical ends implies a recognition of high and low, a hierarchy of worth in matters intellectual.  I do believe that to an educated person all things, grand or pitiful, and all studies, pure and applied, are eventually interesting.  But I also think that the young especially ought to learn how to live with the array of conditions associated with excellence: that is what is finest often denies itself to easy access; that to live admiringly with things above oneself is a source of dignity; that genuine hierarchies confer respect on all their members; that even what is greatest, or especially what is greatest, offers itself for critical judgment.  The familiarity with greatness I have in mind is only remotely connected to Arnoldian "culture," familiarity with "the best that has been thought and known in the world"; it is a much more concentrated, particular, and laborious immersion.  Its real point is not even to induce disciplined self-respect in the way just laid out but to stock the mind with exemplars of the highest quality, based on the hypothesis that in order to battle the bad you have to know some good.  But even that aim is too purposeful.  The real point is just that if learning is to be liberal, that is, for its own sake, its objects have to be ipso facto authentically attractive.  The unfashionable assumption here is that differential greatness exists and is discernible, and that the teachers should in common acquire the experience to discern it." -Eva Brann, "The Place for Liberal Learning"

Top Ten Reasons to Come to Tutoring

1. It is the best place to get individualized attention; I can help you make a study plan!
2. It is the best way for me to help you with reading, or discussion skills, or vocab. retention, or anything else.
3. It is a good place to come for quiet study time.
4. It is a good place to come when you need something from me that will take longer than the one or two minutes we have at the end of class.
5. It is a good place to come when you have been absent and you want to know what you missed.
6. It is the easiest way to show me that you care about your education; there is one student in sixth grade and one student in seventh grade with 100%.  Everyone else should be attempting to improve/deepen their understanding of these critical concepts.
7. It is the best place to find out what's coming the rest of the week.
8. It is the easiest way to get help understanding something from earlier in the semester--all of those concepts are going to keep coming up and are going to be on the final.
9. I can explain Lit/Comp concepts to you as well, and sometimes that can help you do well in Miss Smith's class.
10. My tutoring is 1/6 of the tutoring sessions you need to attend in order to earn points for the golden challenge!

Remember, I can only give individualized attention to students who come to tutoring.  Let me help you help yourselves!

The SPELLING BEE!

North Phoenix Prep is officially eligible to send a student to the state, then national spelling bee.  We will be holding our school bee in either late December or early January.  Anyone interested in materials should feel free to request them from me after class.  Also, if anyone would like a consistent time for extra spelling studying, I would be happy to host that as well.

Yours, not yors,
Miss Fischer

St. John's College

The students have been asking me a lot lately about what I learned in college.  Here is a course description.

midterm grades

I have all students' midterm exam grades.  If anyone would like theirs, feel free to e-mail me at lfischer@northphoenixprep.org

I hope everyone's break is going well.

6th grade possible test topics

-First paragraph of declaration of natural rights

-The 13 colonies

-Anything from those multiple-choice, end of chapter reviews (chs. 1-5)

-Anything from previous tests and quizzes (even reading quizzes)

-All vocabulary from chapters 1-5

-Anything from your notes (look particularly at the 3 Firebrands)

Extra credit: The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

7th Grade Chapter Summaries

Here are the chapter summaries for 7th grade.  Several students did not finish copying this from the board today, and chose not to come in during lunch, so I thought I'd post it so that everyone could study tonight.  Remember, the test will also include vocabulary from chapter 1-17, notes from your notebook and worksheets, and some test questions from previous tests.  Also note that chapter 13-17 are not included in these summaries but will still be on the test; I thought those chapters would remain fresher in students' minds.  Thanks to Lily for e-mailing these to me!

Chapter 1
-objects from tombs were commonly stolen by grave-robbers.
Chapter 2
-The Euphrates River used to flow by the village of Eridu but changed courses and left them stranded.
-People used reeds to make baskets, mats, and roofs. 

-Had tiny villages; no big cities yet.
Chapter 3

-The potter's wheel and plow invented.
-Uruk had 1000+ people.
-the quantity of land you owned was a sign of wealth
Chapter 4

timeline:
-First tablet was sent.
-People started using pictures for nouns.
-More pictures for adjectives and verbs.
-Pictures changed to symbols
-Cuneiform language invented.
-It only had 26 symbols, but was efficient.
Chapter 5
-Gods and Goddesses were like humans with emotions.
Chapter 6

-Puabi was very rich.
-Buried with lots of gold and riches.
-Sumerian King List is not entirely factual because it states that first few generations of kings ruled 1000+ years.

Chapter 7

-World's first super-hero is Gilgamesh
-He was king of Uruk; built walls around the city
-Best friends with Enkidu.
-He wanted to live forever.
Chapter 8

-Sargon built first empire from Mediterranean to Persian Gulf.
Chapter 9

-Sargon sends his daughter Enheduanna (the first known author) to be priestess of the moon god.
-Mesopotamians believed the the gods had half of their life in spirit, and half in statue.
-The rich worshipped in advanced ways. They worshipped in home and in temples. But the poor could only worship in home. But both come together in the streets on holy days or days of feasting.
Chapter 10

-Shulgi made first laws.
-He wrote poems and hymns about himself.
-Hammurabi is mistaken to have written them because his were on stone but Shulgi's were on clay.
-Hammurabi's laws were very eye for an eye and not general, but very specific.
Chapter 11

-7 judges in court.
-No lawyers.
-Needed witness and contract
-You would have to swear to the gods, to show you aren't lying.
Chapter 12

-Barbers were a king's closest advisors

tutoring this morning

I was sadly unable to attend tutoring this morning.  Please accept my apologies if you changed your schedule in order to get your child here early.

To make up for it, I will be having tutoring Thursday before school and Friday before school and during lunch.  Students are welcome to come just for quiet study time or if they have any questions, comments, or concerns.

midterms

As per the test calendar, the cumulative midterm for both 6th and 7th grade history are on Friday.  Students, start refreshing your memory on those critical vocabulary terms!

Yours in accumulation,
Miss Fischer

Paul Revere's Ride

Here is a neat interactive map that my U.S. History students may find interesting:

http://www.paulreverehouse.org/ride/virtual.html

tutoring is Tuesdays at 7:40am

Well, here I am at tutoring and unfortunately the room is empty!  Please note that one of the easiest ways for your child to work on weaknesses in my class is for me to be able to address them one-on-one.  This is very difficult for me to do during class, which is why I have tutoring once a week.  I'm also available by appointment pretty much every day before school, after school, or during lunch.

Yours in an empty room,
Miss Fischer

Touchstones reflections

I really enjoyed reading all of the Touchstones reflections from last week; I can tell almost all of the students put a lot of thought in to them.  Interesting ideas included:

-If there were no death, there would only be familial love, not romantic love.
-If there were no death, the most important thing in religion would be forgiveness.
-If there were no death, there would be no grief, and therefore more hope.

Yours in reflection,
Miss Fischer

My name

There has been some confusion.  My last name is spelled Fischer, not Fisher.  I have a feeling some e-mails have not made it to my mailbox because of this.  Please double-check that my e-mail address is

lfischer@northphoenixprep.org

in your mail client; I don't want you to think I'm not responding!  :)

Yours in name,
Miss Fischer

this week

This week in US History, we will be exploring causes and effects of the French and Indian War (including a reading of Benjamin Franklin's Plan of Union).  There will also be a unit 2 (chapters 3 and 4) test of Friday.  Start looking over those vocabulary words.

In Ancient History, as per the test calendar, there is a test tomorrow.  Students will also receive their essays back tomorrow, which they will be able to rewrite and turn back in for more credit.  We will begin studying daily life in Ancient Mesopotamia.

We have implemented a new test calendar on the website.  It is on the left-hand navigation bar, under the school calendar.  Here is the direct link.

Finally, a word on absences.  I have noticed many absences lately.  Whether this is due to illness, vacation, or something else, students are still responsible to make up the content missed.  This means copying any notes taken that day and turning in assignments missed.  If making up the content requires resources (books, maps, etc.) I have in my classroom, that student would of course be welcome to come use those resources during tutoring.  Note that unexcused absences (vacation, prolonged illness with no doctor's note, etc.) may not be eligible to retake any quizzes or turn in minor assignments.

Yours in presence,
Miss Fischer

Pop Quiz Performance

6th grade did not meet their full potential on the pop reading quiz today.  Most students said that they either didn't read or didn't understand the reading.  Parents, you can help with this!  Encourage your child to read their homework aloud to you dramatically.  This will help them to retain the information.  Other ideas:

-have your child summarize each paragraph after they've finished reading it
-make your child feel comfortable asking questions, particularly about vocabulary
-have your child isolate specifically what word or phrase he/she doesn't understand
-have your child take notes on the chapter
-have your child read it twice, once for understanding (pronouncing all the words correctly) and once for solidifying the information (remembering the content of the passage)

None of these things should take longer than 30 minutes, but all of them will be very valuable to your child.  He/she should also feel free to come see me in tutoring if he/she needs any extra reading help.  I'm also available by appointment.

Yours in comprehension,
Miss Fischer

6th grade chapters 1 and 2 test questions

I've gotten a couple of requests for test questions from the most recent US History test.  Without further ado, here they are:

Chapters One and Two Assessment

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1. Name one result of the Spanish armada.

2. What is the leading theory on how human beings first came to America?

3. Which city was the center of the Aztec empire?

4. Why were Native American customs so varied?

5. How many people did Christopher Columbus say would be required in order to keep all the people of North America in subjection?

6. Give one reason the Iroquois Federation Constitution was written.

7. What is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source?

8. What is the difference between an astrolabe and a compass?

Define the following terms.

9. Protestantism

10. plantation

11. presidio

12. mission

13. pueblo

14. conquistador

15. circumnavigate

16. mosque

17. archaeology

18. strait

19. nomad

20. irrigate

Bonus: Name as many Touchstones rules for productive discussion as you can.

pop-quiz signatures

7th-grade parents, please note that tomorrow (Tuesday 9/4) is the last day to send in signed pop-quizzes from last week.  Students who do not turn them in signed tomorrow will receive 0/10.

Yours in accountability,
Miss Fischer

test alert!

There will be a test for 6th grade on Wednesday and a test on Friday for 7th grade.  Both grades will have a review day in class, and students should consult their notes in order to study.

quiz/test signatures

You may be receiving a quiz or test for signature this week.  I encourage you to sign this, as I do not enter them into my gradebook until signed and returned.  If your child's quiz should be signed, you will receive an e-mail notifying you of this.

Yours in information,

Miss Fischer

big week and quiz alert

Things are ramping up this week in history class.  6th grade can expect most of the week to be dedicated to an intense study of Pre-Columbus era primary sources, and perhaps a pop-quiz.

7th grade can expect a test on Wednesday over the first four chapters of The Ancient Near Eastern World, then heavier reading assignments later this week.  Each day after a reading assignment, I will be giving a do-now that will have multiple-choice questions to help students know when they've done a good job reading closely.

Touchstones skills have been developing nicely.  Students have learned the hard way that talking all at once or whispering to a neighbor does not a productive discussion make.

I have also been having students eat lunch with me each day, as a way for us to get to know each other.  Lucky for them, I've been making my famous oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies.

I'm looking forward to this week.  Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

Quizzically yours,
Miss Fischer

Touchstones: Orientation Class and Money Makes Worries

Today the students had their second Touchstones lesson.  This time we talked specifically about what is necessary for a good class discussion.  Most classes then moved on to a story from ancient China called "Money Makes Worries," which is about a poor man who suddenly becomes rich but ends up relinquishing the money in order to be happy.  Students really grappled with the positives and negatives of money.  Some students thought your personality determined your ability to handle money and still be happy, some students thought rich people were always happier than poor people, and some students thought poor people were always happier than rich people.  It was also interesting to see them try to figure out the best way to speak one at a time, even when they were excited about their ideas.  Overall, a good day!

You may receive (or have already received) e-mails from me about missing homework.  I am trying to help my students become accountable for their own work, so please encourage them to talk with me whenever possible.  My door is always (figuratively) open.

Yours in discussion,
Miss Fischer

First Day

Today we did our first Touchstones lesson from the year.  Exciting questions/comments included:

"Why do people choose to live instead of to die?"

and

"Why do people need virtues, even when no one else is around?".

In other news, if your student has one of my Touchstones readers, please send it back to school.  It looks like this:

Unless these is a published exception, these should never come home.

I had an excellent day; I am really looking forward to this school year.

Yours in happy beginnings,

Laurel Fischer

U. S. History Syllabus

Here is the 6th-grade American History syllabus:

U.S. History: 2012-2013 Syllabus

Hello; welcome to 6^th-grade American history, the story of our country.  Please read this syllabus, come to me with any questions, comments, or concerns, sign it, and bring it back to school on Monday.  A syllabus signed by you and a parent will be your entrance ticket to class.

Curriculum

Please note this is a general guideline; as the pacing is established and the prior knowledge of the students is assessed, it may change.  This year, we will study America, our country, from the Bering Land Bridge Theory to present day.  I believe history is most exciting and accurate when we read the words of the great persons involved, therefore, we will be using class time to digest the words woven into the fabric of our national identity.  This isn’t all, though.  Careful study of the textbook will help paint a comprehensive picture of events.  A firm grounding in the facts (capitals, names, dates) will render a richer reading of primary sources.

Discussion skills will be developed in this class as well, for which we will use the texts of the Touchstones Discussion Project.  There will be one class period a week set aside for building and practicing discussion skills.  This will help prepare students for Humane Letters in 9^th grade, foster critical thinking, and give students a common language for civilized discussion.

In the first quarter, we will look at the forces leading to America’s independence from Britain, and the forces leading to the establishment of our particular Constitution.  The second quarter will lead right up to the Civil War and will include time spent on Westward Expansion.  The third quarter will cover the Civil War through World War I.  The fourth quarter will cover the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and everything else that rendered us the nation we currently are.

Objectives:

I. To develop habits of (1) intelligent, careful, critical reading;

                                     (2) rational, precise, courteous discussion; and

                                     (3) logical, fluent, textually-supported writing.

II. To become familiar with the key people, events, dates, causes, and effects in American history.

III. To foster a sense of wonder, a love of learning, and the pursuit and attainment of truth.

Behavioral and Academic Expectations

There is an essential difference between liberty and license.  True freedom of mind can only happen under limited conditions.  The distractions rendered by freedom of language and freedom of body are impediments to freedom of mind.  This philosophy has led me to the following policies.

Missing Homework

A student will not be admitted to class without his/her homework, unless he/she was absent the day prior.  The student with missing homework should still come to class, and then I will excuse him/her to another teacher’s classroom to complete his/her homework.  When the homework is done, he/she will come to class.  If the student misses more of class than simply the time we spend reviewing the homework, he/she will be responsible for making up any content or activities missed, likely resulting in an increased homework load for that night.  This alone should be enough of a deterrent, but I will also send a brief e-mail by the end of that school day to inform his/her parents that the student’s homework was missing.  Additionally, late homework will only be eligible for 50% credit.

Absences

The student is responsible within a time equivalent to the absence to make up any work.  Furthermore, that student is responsible for finding out what the homework, in-class assignments, and notes were for that day from a friend.  For instance, if a student is absent on a Tuesday, he/she will need to have the homework on Thursday when he/she enters class.

Assessment

Students will occasionally be required to get a test or quiz signed.  This could be as a result of low performance, high performance, or for some other reason.  If the student does not come back with it signed the next day, he/she will receive a lunch detention on that day.  If it remains unsigned on subsequent days, I will continue to assign detentions until it is signed.

Communication

I want the student and his/her parents to feel comfortable communicating with me.  For students, the easiest way will be to talk with me during my tutoring hour: Tuesday morning at 7:30am.  I am also available by appointment.

For parents, the easiest way will be to e-mail me: lfischer@northphoenixprep.org

I also maintain a blog to inform and excite:  http://www.npphistory.blogspot.com/

Leaving Class

Due to safety concerns, students will not be able to leave class in order to use the bathroom.  If it is an absolute emergency, I will call Headmaster Topper and he will come and escort the student to the bathroom.  Students will have plenty of time to take care of bathroom concerns during the day, so hopefully he will not have to be inconvenienced.

Grading Policy

The Great Hearts approach to assessment necessitates that we treat each student as an individual.  We write evaluations because we do not believe students can be wholly represented by numbers.  Roughly speaking, I will give:

30% to tests and quizzes

20% to homework

30% to participation

20% to essays and projects

Signing this indicates you have read and agree to this course’s general content and policies:

______________________                                         ________________________

Student’s name                                                                     Parent’s name

______________________                                         ________________________

Student’s signature                                                               Parent’s signature

Ancient History Syllabus

Here is the 7th-grade Ancient History syllabus:

Ancient History: 2012-2013 Syllabus

Hello; welcome to 7^th-grade Ancient history, the beginning of the story of the Western Tradition.  Please read this syllabus, come to me with any questions, comments, or concerns, sign it, and bring it back to school on Monday.  A syllabus signed by you and a parent will be your entrance ticket to class.

Curriculum

Please note this is a general guideline; as the pacing is established and the prior knowledge of the students is assessed, it may change.  This year, we will study Ancient History, focusing on the Near East, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and mythology.  I believe history is most exciting and accurate when we read the words of the great persons involved, therefore, we will be using class time to digest primary sources.  This isn’t all, though.  Careful study of the textbooks will help paint a comprehensive picture of events.  A firm grounding in the facts (capitals, names, dates) will render a richer reading of primary sources.

Discussion skills will be developed in this class as well, for which we will use the texts of the Touchstones Discussion Project.  There will be one class period a week set aside for building and practicing discussion skills.  This will help prepare students for Humane Letters in 9^th grade, foster critical thinking, and give students a common language for civilized discussion.

In the first quarter, we will focus on the Near East.  The second quarter’s focus will be Egypt.  In the third quarter, we will look at Greece and also begin mythology.  The fourth quarter will be about Rome and the rest of mythology.

Objectives:

I. To develop habits of (1) intelligent, careful, critical reading;

                                     (2) rational, precise, courteous discussion; and

                                     (3) logical, fluent, textually-supported writing.

II. To become familiar with the key people, events, dates, causes, and effects in Ancient history.

III. To foster a sense of wonder, a love of learning, and the pursuit and attainment of truth.

Behavioral and Academic Expectations

There is an essential difference between liberty and license.  True freedom of mind can only happen under limited conditions.  The distractions rendered by freedom of language and freedom of body are impediments to freedom of mind.  This philosophy has led me to the following policies.

Missing Homework

A student will not be admitted to class without his/her homework, unless he/she was absent the day prior.  The student with missing homework should still come to class, and then I will excuse him/her to another teacher’s classroom to complete his/her homework.  When the homework is done, he/she will come to class.  If the student misses more of class than simply the time we spend reviewing the homework, he/she will be responsible for making up any content or activities missed, likely resulting in an increased homework load for that night.  This alone should be enough of a deterrent, but I will also send a brief e-mail by the end of that school day to inform his/her parents that the student’s homework was missing.  Additionally, late homework will only be eligible for 50% credit.

Absences

The student is responsible within a time equivalent to the absence to make up any work.  Furthermore, that student is responsible for finding out what the homework, in-class assignments, and notes were for that day from a friend.  For instance, if a student is absent on a Tuesday, he/she will need to have the homework on Thursday when he/she enters class.

Assessment

Students will occasionally be required to get a test or quiz signed.  This could be as a result of low performance, high performance, or for some other reason.  If the student does not come back with it signed the next day, he/she will receive a lunch detention on that day.  If it remains unsigned on subsequent days, I will continue to assign detentions until it is signed.

Communication

I want the student and his/her parents to feel comfortable communicating with me.  For students, the easiest way will be to talk with me during my tutoring hour: Tuesday morning at 7:30am.  I am also available by appointment.

For parents, the easiest way will be to e-mail me: lfischer@northphoenixprep.org

I also maintain a blog to inform and excite:  http://www.npphistory.blogspot.com/

Leaving Class

Due to safety concerns, students will not be able to leave class in order to use the bathroom.  If it is an absolute emergency, I will call Headmaster Topper and he will come and escort the student to the bathroom.  Students will have plenty of time to take care of bathroom concerns during the day, so hopefully he will not have to be inconvenienced.

Grading Policy

The Great Hearts approach to assessment necessitates that we treat each student as an individual.  We write evaluations because we do not believe students can be wholly represented by numbers.  Roughly speaking, I will give:

30% to tests and quizzes

20% to homework

30% to participation

20% to essays and projects

Signing this indicates you have read and agree to this course’s general content and policies:

______________________                                         ________________________

Student’s name                                                                     Parent’s name

______________________                                         ________________________

Student’s signature                                                               Parent’s signature

Supplies

The (occasionally overwhelming) trips to acquire school supplies are underway, so I thought I'd post more specifics if anyone is confused.

2-subject college-ruled notebook

Like this one: http://www.mead.com/meadstore/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=06180

We'll likely use one section for in-class notes and one section for homework.

Any color/brand is fine, as long as it has at least that many pages and fits the other criteria.

Plastic flags

Like these: http://www.staples.com/Post-it-1-2-Flags-with-Pop-Up-Dispenser-Post-it-Stickies/product_SS975428

These will be used to organize the (very big) textbook so that students can easily find what they'll use most often.

These can sometimes come in wild colors or have arrows on them.  Whatever works.

Highlighters

Like these: http://www.staples.com/Staples-Hype-Liquid-Highlighters-Assorted-5-Pack/product_608393

Those are pretty fancy; yours don't have to be.  These will be used for maps, vocabulary, and much, much more!

Other recommendations

By now I'm sure your home is well-stocked with homework essentials, but if it's not, I'd recommend getting a stack of loose-leaf and several pencils.

Also, an organizational system for supplies is generally beneficial.  Most things will be in lockers, but a pencil case always helps corral loose things.

Happy shopping!

Yours in provisioning,

Miss Fischer

Acquiring Resources

Welcome!  I've been working on some packets of resources, but for American History, I've been using this book so heavily I decided to try to hunt down a class set.

And what a beautiful book this is.  For the most part, the readings are 1-2 pages (perfect for one class period) and they are all primary source documents, many of them quite rare.  The book itself is out of print, so I've been looking at used book stores and online for affordable used copies.  What fun!  I hope your summers are going well.

Yours in preparedness,

Miss Fischer