Chapter 8 Notes and Project

A mini-project was assigned today for Chapter 8 - The Mexican National Era. This is a fun chapter that covers how Stephen F. Austin brought American settlers into Mexican Texas. Below is the full set of notes for Chapter 8 and the instructions for this mini-project. The mini-project will count as a major Summative grade.

*HOMEWORK ALERT* - The mini-project is due on Friday 11/30/18.

Chapter 6 Test Tomorrow, Lesson 2 & 3 Notes, Chapter 6 Study Guide

Tomorrow the students will take the exam over Chapter 6 - Spanish Colonial Texas. Below are notes from Lessons 2 & 3 as well as a study guide for the chapter. If the students have done their reading, paid attention in class, and know the information on the study guide they should be just fine.

Chapter 6 - Lesson 1 Notes, TAG/PAP Project Due Tomorrow

Today we covered the information from Chapter 6 - Lesson 1 over Spanish Colonial Texas. The notes are attached below.

Reminder: The TAG/PAP project is due tomorrow at the beginning of class.

Chapter 6 Vocabulary Assigned and Due

The vocabulary terms for Chapter 6 were assigned today. The students were given class time to complete them. The vocabulary assignment is due tomorrow. The vocabulary terms and instructions are attached below.

Reminders:

Regular Ed. - The explorers route map is due tomorrow (moved back from today)

PAP/TAG - The explorers project is due this Friday at the beginning of class.

Sensory Poem/Acrostic Due Tomorrow, Chapter 5 Exam Tomorrow

The students were given an assignment to work on in class today. The breakdown is as follows:

TAG/PAP: Students are to complete a sensory poem about the Age of Exploration. They are to put themselves in the place of a Native American who is having to deal with the consequences of European invasion. Paper should include a definition of the Age of Exploration, an illustration, and a chart with the sentence stem "If I was there, I would have heard..." The categories are heard, seen, tasted, felt, and smelled. See example below.

Regular Ed: Students are to create an acrostic using the letters that make up the name of one of the following explorers: Onate, Lasalle, or Moscoso. Students should write these names/letters in a vertical fashion and then think of a word or phrase that starts with that letter that has something to do with that explorer. The first letter of the letter or phrase (that helps make up the explorer's name) should be written a bit larger than the rest of the letters used in the word or term used to describe that person. See example below.

L ost (because he missed the mouth of the Mississippi River and landed in Texas instead)
A
S
A
L
L
E

Chapter 5 Notes, Explorers Project Assigned

Attached below are the notes from Lessons 2 and 3 of Chapter 5. They may be printed out if you wish. Today, I assigned a project over the early European explorers as well. Full instructions for this project are included below for the TAG/PAP students. Regular Ed. students will be completing the map on regular paper (given to them today) and do not need to do the poster or the reports.

Chapter 5 Vocabulary Due, Chapter 5 - Lesson 1 Notes, End of 9 Weeks

The vocabulary assignment for Chapter 5 was due today. If any student failed to turn in the assignment, it must be done prior to the end of the day on Friday.

Today we started work on Chapter 5 - The Explorers. Below is a copy of the notes for Lesson 1.

The end of the first 9 weeks grading period is Friday. Any and all late work, make-up work, or re-tests must be completed prior to the end of the day on Friday. Please check with your students to make sure that they are caught up.

9 Weeks Exam Tomorrow and Chapter 5 Vocabulary

The 9 Weeks Exam for Texas History is tomorrow (10/16). Following is a brief summary of what will be covered from Chapters 1-4:

* Primary and Secondary Sources: Know the difference and recognize examples of each
* Latitude and Longitude: Know the difference, be able to plot points on a map using them, and be able to identify the location of the Equator and Prime Meridian
* Political and Physical Maps: Know the difference and what types of features might be found on either
* Relative and Absolute Location: Know the difference and be able to use/recognize examples of each
* Relative and Absolute Chronology: Know the difference and be able to use/recognize examples of each
* The Geographic Regions of TX: Know where they are located, the physical features of each, and the types of severe weather most likely to be encountered in each
* Know how the early peoples who populated the Americas arrived
* Know the various Native American Tribes indigenous to Texas, the types of homes in which they lived, their diet, unique characteristics of each, and the Cultural Region to which they belonged

If students are well versed in the information above, they should do just fine tomorrow.

Below are the vocabulary terms and instructions for Chapter 5 (due Wednesday 10/16)

Chapter 4 Supplemental Notes and Mini-Project

Yesterday, the students were assigned a mini-project in my Texas History class. The project is pretty simple and full instructions are found below. This assignment will count as a Summative grade and is due on Wednesday 10/10.

Below the instructions for the mini-project are supplemental notes to help the students prepare for the upcoming exam over Chapter 4 next week. Notes over Lessons 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 4 are included. Students should consider these supplemental notes as a resource/study guide to help them prepare for their exam.

Chapter 4 Vocabulary Due, TAG/PAP Project Due Date Amended

Just a reminder that the vocabulary assignment for Chapter 4 is due tomorrow at the beginning of class. The terms and instructions are attached below.

*TAG/PAP* - Due to much student begging (lol) I have agreed to move the due date for the Regions of Texas Project back to Monday 10/1. Full instructions for the project can be found a couple of posts down from this one. Just scroll down the page a bit and you should find it.

Chapter 3 Exam Tomorrow, Regions of Texas Project Due Friday

Tomorrow the students will take their exam over Chapter 3. I continue to try and slowly acclimate the students to my expectations and will - this time only - allow them to use their notes for the test. The notes must be in the foldable format we worked on in class. The test will feature questions on each of the four geographic regions of Texas as well as the maps of the major cities and rivers.

*TAG/PAP NOTE*: Just a reminder that the Regions of Texas project is due at the beginning of class on Friday 9/28. Per a parent request, below is the map I referred to in my initial post on the project. Full instructions for the project can be found in the post from 9/20 below.

Rivers and Cities Maps Due, Chapter 3 Vocabulary Builder Assigned, TAG/PAP Project Assigned

The major cities and rivers of Texas maps were due today at the beginning of the period. This assignment will be counted as a Formative or daily grade. The regular ed classes were assigned the Chapter 3 Vocabulary Builder worksheet. This worksheet is due on Monday 9/24 at the beginning of the period. 

TAG/PAP classes received the instructions for their first project of the year. The instructions are located below. The project will be due on Friday 9/28 at the beginning of the period.

Chapter 3 Vocabulary Assigned

Friday I assigned the Chapter 3 vocabulary. The terms and general instructions are attached below.

The due date for the terms is Tuesday 9/18/18 at the beginning of the class.

*TAG/PAP CLASSES NOTE*: In addition to the regular 16 terms, complete a Frehr model for the term "mesa." The model should include the term, textbook definition, paraphrased definition, and an illustration of a mesa.

Chapter 1 Vocabulary

We got started on chapter 1 today with an easy "ease into the year" assignment. It is a simple vocabulary assignment. The terms and full instructions are attached below.

Welcome Back!

Welcome to the 2018-19 school year. I know summer is a great time and a lot of fun, but there is something about getting back in the routine that is nice, too.

Some important information:

- I expect students to be prepared for class. Each student should have a pen or pencil with which to write and some paper (notebook, spiral, etc.). I do not have a long supply list of required items, so I feel this is a reasonable expectation.

- I expect students to treat each other and me with courtesy and respect.

- I expect students to come to class mentally prepared to do school work. Summer was great, but it is over. A student should not be offended or surprised that I expect them to do school work while they are at school.

*IMPORTANT INFORMATION*

- Class blog: Mayeshistory7.blogspot.com (if you are reading this you already have the address). Bookmark or save this site as a favorite for easy reference. This is where I will post assignments, due dates, and other information. It is a great source for students who have been out  sick or for parents who like to keep up with what we are doing in class.

- My email address: Michael.mayes@killeenisd.org

- Phone: EHMS main line is 254-336-1100. Ask for me and the secretary will connect you.

- Reminder.com: I will be sending short messages/reminders to parents via Remind.com. You have already been loaded up on my lists. This is a great way for you to stay on top of your student and make sure they are doing their work in a timely manner. You will receive messages via text or email depending on the contact information provided to the school. You may upload the Remind app if from the App Store, but it is not necessary. If you want to opt out of this Reminder.com list, just let me know.

I'm looking forward to a good year and counting on the support of the parents/guardians in this endeavor. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

My best,

Michael Mayes
EHMS History/Athletics

Shutting Down the Blog

As the very few of you who visit the blog have no doubt noticed, I have stopped posting assignments and updates here. I will be shutting down the blog for the remainder of the school year.

The reason for this is very simple: nobody is using it. At least not enough people are using it to justify the effort it takes to keep it up. I have a counter on the blog and I am averaging less than two visits to the site per day. Frankly, students are not using it as a resource and neither are any parents. The amount of time I spend updating it is no longer validated by the amount of good it is doing students/parents.

If you need to contact me for any reason, please email me at michael.mayes@killeenisd.org

Thank you.

Chapter 10 Vocabulary Assigned

The students started their preliminary work on the events of Chapter 10 today. They started with a standard vocabulary assignment. The assignment and instructions are attached below.

*HOMEWORK ALERT* - Chapter 10 Vocabulary due Friday 2/2/18

Lesson 3 Notes, Chapter 9 Test

Today we finished up the notes on chapter 9 - Lesson 3. Tomorrow the students will take their Chapter 9 test. Due to an accelerated time table, the students will be allowed to use their notes on the exam. Notes and the chapter vocabulary assignment only will be used (no books). The full set of Lesson 3 notes are below.

Chapter 9 - Lesson 2 Guided Reading and Quiz

For the last two days the students have been working on a Guided Reading sheet that covers the information in Chapter 9 - Lesson 2. Tomorrow the students will take a quiz. The kids will be allowed to use this guided reading sheet on the quiz. The guided reading sheet is the ONLY information that may be used. Please make sure your student has this sheet filled in correctly and is ready for the quiz.

*HOMEWORK ALERT*- Open note quiz (use Guided Reading Sheet) tomorrow over Lesson 2 of Chapter 9.

Chapter 12 - Lesson 1, Reading Assignment

Today we started the notes for Chapter 9 - Lesson 1. The notes are attached below.

*HOMEWORK ALERT* - Read pages 216-217 (textbook) / Pages 1-3 (online textbook) of Chapter 9

Chapter 9 Vocabulary and Vocabulary Builder Worksheet Due

I was off campus for training today so the students had a sub. The sub gave them the Vocabulary Builder worksheet for Chapter 9. They were to work on this in class. The sub SHOULD take this up (finished or not) at the end of the class period. I will give the worksheet back to any students who did not finish tomorrow (Friday) so that they can finish it up over the weekend.

Yesterday, the kids were assigned the standard vocabulary assignment (attached below). It is due at the beginning of the class period tomorrow (Friday). This assignment is attached below.

Chapter 8 - Lesson 3 Notes, SFA Brochure Project

We started to wind down the Chapter 8 notes by starting Lesson 3 today. This is a very short section and  we should finish it up tomorrow. The notes for Lesson 3 are attached below.

Students were assigned the SFA Brochure project today. Each student was given a set of instructions and a blank piece of white paper. This assignment will be counted as a major summative grade. Due date is Tuesday 1/16. The full instructions for the SFA Brochure project are below.

Chapter 8 - Lesson 2 Notes, Vocabulary Builder Worksheet

We started discussing the notes over Lesson 2 of Chapter 8 today. The full notes for Lesson 2 are attached below. Students were also given about half the period to work on the Vocabulary Builder Worksheet. This worksheet will be due on Tuesday 1/9 at the beginning of the period.

*HOMEWORK ALERT*

- Chapter 8 Vocabulary Builder Worksheet due next Tuesday 1/9 at the beginning of the period.

Notes, Video, Vocabulary, and Reading

Today we completed the notes for Chapter 8 - Lesson 1. The full notes for Lesson 1 are available on yesterday's post.  We also completed the video "Texas Venture" discussing the Impresarios and the land colonies (Stephen F. Austin, in particular). The full video is available for viewing on yesterday's post. The Chapter 8 vocabulary assignment was due today. Many students failed to turn in this first assignment of the 9 weeks and received a grade of "0."

*HOMEWORK ALERT*

- Read Pages 195-197 in the textbook (first 3 pages of Chapter 8 - Lesson 2 in the online textbook).

- PLEASE check with your student to see if they turned in their vocabulary assignment on time.

Chapter 8 - Lesson 1 Notes, Reading Assignment, Vocabulary Due

Today we started discussing how Texas was settled via the Impresario system. The full notes for this section are attached below along with a short video I showed the kids.

*HOMEWORK ALERT*

- Read the first three pages of Chapter 8 - Lesson 1 in the online textbook.

 - Chapter 8 vocabulary assignment due tomorrow (see yesterday's post for 
    the assignment.