Matthew’s Core Blog
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Homework

Colonial Research Papers: Continue drafting your Colonial Research Papers. Spend at least 1/2 hr working on this tonight, using the outline as your roadmap. Be sure each paragraph follows proper paragraphing format (topic sentence, clarifying sentence, evidence, and transition sentence). You should aim for close to 2 pages of written text by tomorrow, Wednesday December 3rd.

Social Studies Unit Test: Using today’s review notes and your completed review sheet, please continue studying for Thursday’s upcoming unit test. Again, please refer to the link on the left if you need more information about Thursday’s unit test.

Colonial Research Papers & Projects

Today, you began drafting your Colonial Research Papers using your completed outlines. We discussed how to transition from outline to paper, and you will continue writing this first draft this week. Please keep in mind the following upcoming due dates related to the Colonial Project:

First Draft of Paper and Bibliography: Monday, December 8th

Second Draft of Paper and Bibliography: Monday, December 15th

Completed Plan for Colonial Project: Monday, December 1st

Due dates for each phase of the Colonial Project: As per your own individualized plan

Colonial Museum: Wednesday, December 17th

It is essential you keep these important due dates handy.

Core Unit Test II

Please remember that our second Social Studies unit test in Core will be on Thursday, December 4th. We have been reviewing the material for this test in class for the past 2 weeks. Tomorrow, the review sheet (questions 2-12) is due. Please refer to the link in the left margin and see previous blog entries if you need more information regarding this review sheet. We will complete our review for the test tomorrow in class. Please bring the completed review sheet to class.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This weekend, please enjoy a restful break with friends and family. Please also be sure to begin thinking about your Colonial Museum Project. The planning guidelines were distributed in class earlier this week. A copy of this worksheet can be found on the PAGES section of the blog. It is entitled “Planning Your Colonial Museum Exhibit.” Please bring this completed plan to class on Monday.

Homework

1. Review Sheet for Social Studies Unit Test #2: You should have begun work on the review sheet, which is due on Tuesday, December 2nd. Tonight, please complete questions #2, #3, and #4. We will discuss these questions in Core All tomorrow.

2. Outlines for Colonial Papers: Core A, you will be handing in your final outlines tomorrow. Please staple the first draft to the final draft. I will collect these outlines in morning homeroom.

Homework

1. Food Celebration Writing Piece: If you have yet to revise your food piece, please do so this weekend. The final writing piece must be on my desk by 8:30 am, Monday morning.

2. Colonial Research Paper Outlines: Core A, the final outlines are due on Tuesday, November 25th. Core B, these are now complete.

3. Social Studies Unit Test #2: Today, you received the review sheet for our second social studies unit test, which will be given on Thursday, December 4th. You should begin the review sheet, which is due on Tuesday, December 2nd.

Homework

1. Lit Circles: Core B, excellent work today on ANIMAL FARM. Core A, we will have lit circles tomorrow to discuss FAHRENHEIT 451. Please be sure that your responses on the blog are detailed and complete (they utilize textual evidence), and that you make every effort to respond to other classmates’ comments.

2. Colonial Research Paper Outlines: Core B, your final outlines are due tomorrow, Friday November 21st. Core A, you have until Tuesday November 25th to turn in the final outline. Please make all the necessary changes to your first drafts.

3. Food Celebration Writing Pieces: Today, you received edits from me. Please make these edits and hand in the final writing piece and recipes as soon as possible.

Homework

1. Reminder: Your postings to our literature circle blog are due this week. Core Split A, your posting is due Friday, November 21st. Core Split B, your posting is due Thursday, November 20th. You are being graded not only on your response to all parts of the prompt, but also to how you respond to one another. Make it interesting, detailed, and well-supported with textual evidence!

2. Reminder: Your M13C chapter 38 reading and questions are due tomorrow, Tuesday November 18th.

3. Colonial Outlines: Today, Core Split B received their first drafts back. Core Split A will receive them tomorrow. Final outlines are due no later than Friday, November 21st.

4. Food Celebration: Revisions to your first draft are due on Wednesday, November 19th.

Homework1. Be sure to finalize your GIVER book review. The final draft is due on Monday, November 17th. Be sure your stapled packet includes the outline template, the first draft (with edits), a peer-editing sheet, and finally the final draft. This final draft should be typed, double-spaced, and in Times New Roman 12 point font. Be sure you have followed all of the guidelines as they appear on the peer-editing worksheet.2. Please complete chapter 38 in Making Thirteen Colonies. Answer the following questions below in complete sentences. This assignment is due on Tuesday, November 18th.1.    Identify/ define the following names/ terms:a. Triangular tradeb.Olaudah Equianoc. Vasco da Gamad. Timbuktue. The Virginia Black Codef. Mansa Musa2.    What was the significance of codfish and lumber to New Englanders?3.    What evidence can you find that New Englanders were highly resourceful people?4.    How did the triangles of trade benefit the American Colonies? What was the cost to Africa and Africans? (NOTE: this is a 2-part question).5.    What factors combined to open Africa to much broader contact with the outside world?6.    Pick one of Olaudah Equiano’s passages from the chapter. Rewrite at least 2 sentences of it and then respond in your own words to how this passage made you feel. Did you learn anything from his comments about the slave trade?  

Tonight, please begin brainstorming and drafting your food piece for our upcoming food celebration, which will be held on November 26th. A rough first draft/ outline is due tomorrow, in your writer’s notebook. For specifics of this assignment, please refer to today’s handout or go to the link on the left.

Also, as discussed, please keep in mind the following due dates for these upcoming projects/ papers:

First Draft of Outline for Colonial Research Paper: Due Thursday, November 13th

Final Giver Book Review: Due Monday, November 17th

Homework

“BLACK AND WHITE”

Directions: Read the packet distributed in class today. This reading is an excerpt from Howard Zinn’s book, A YOUNG PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, VOL. I. Highlight the reading as is appropriate. Next, answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Be thoughtful and detailed in your responses.

1.    According to the text, English settlers chose not to do all of the hard work of growing tobacco themselves, but rather tried to make others do it for them. They tried to force the Indians to do this work. Why didn’t this succeed? What reasons does the author give?
2.    The author writes on page 22, “in 1619, when the first twenty blacks were brought by force to Jamestown and sold to the settlers, white people had been thinking of Africans as slave labor for a long time.” Explain why “white people had been thinking of Africans as slave labor for a long time.”
3.    The author argues that enslaving Africans was easier for the whites than enslaving Indians. What reasons does he give?
4.    On page 29, the author defines “racism,” and argues that racism led to slavery. However, on page 33, the author also claims “a web of historical threads trapped blacks in American slavery.” What were those “threads?” Explain.
5.    Blacks, we learn, resisted their enslavement (see page 30). What were some forms of their resistance? What was the response from white slave owners? (NOTE: this is a 2-part question).