(not yet updated for 21-22 school year) Recent and Upcoming Class Topics
U.S. Studies
The Declaration of Independence The Constitutional Convention in 1787 The Great Compromise Federalism The Preamble and goals of government The United States Constitution The Bill of Rights |
Language Arts
Copper Sun by Sharon Draper Theme in literature Character development Poetic devices Crafting an effective topic sentence for a summary Analyzing and comparing visual text (film) Supporting a claim with evidence and reasoning |
Study Resources
Constitution
Schoolhouse Rock! "The Preamble" www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtYrorYu9OE
Quizlet flash cards for Articles I, II, and III quizlet.com/52737997/the-constitution-article-1-2-3-flash-cards/
Quizlet flash cards for the Bill of Rights quizlet.com/254165779/bill-of-rights-bill-of-rights-scenarios-flash-cards/
iCivics: I recommend games such as "Branches of Power" for checks and balances and "Do I Have a Right?" to review the Bill of Rights and other key amendments www.icivics.org/
National Constitution Center's Interactive Constitution constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution#
More quizzes to test your knowledge www.constitutionfacts.com/us-constitution-kids/us-history-quiz/
Short videos from iCivics about each branch of government:
Legislative www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfEwakoSJ68&feature=youtu.be
Executive www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KyvQuOHFvE&feature=youtu.be
Judicial (the last minute is specifically about the Supreme Court) www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkBkc2Fxe3I&feature=youtu.be
Another potentially informative video from Crash Course (but no John Green in this series) www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9defOwVWS8
I am geeking out on this podcast recommended by a parent of a former student: "More Perfect" from Radiolab's third season is all about the amendments to the Constitution. We'll listen to a couple of excerpts in class. Here's a link to the first episode: www.wnycstudios.org/story/most-perfect-album-episode-one-first-second-third-amendments
Schoolhouse Rock! "The Preamble" www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtYrorYu9OE
Quizlet flash cards for Articles I, II, and III quizlet.com/52737997/the-constitution-article-1-2-3-flash-cards/
Quizlet flash cards for the Bill of Rights quizlet.com/254165779/bill-of-rights-bill-of-rights-scenarios-flash-cards/
iCivics: I recommend games such as "Branches of Power" for checks and balances and "Do I Have a Right?" to review the Bill of Rights and other key amendments www.icivics.org/
National Constitution Center's Interactive Constitution constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution#
More quizzes to test your knowledge www.constitutionfacts.com/us-constitution-kids/us-history-quiz/
Short videos from iCivics about each branch of government:
Legislative www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfEwakoSJ68&feature=youtu.be
Executive www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KyvQuOHFvE&feature=youtu.be
Judicial (the last minute is specifically about the Supreme Court) www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkBkc2Fxe3I&feature=youtu.be
Another potentially informative video from Crash Course (but no John Green in this series) www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9defOwVWS8
I am geeking out on this podcast recommended by a parent of a former student: "More Perfect" from Radiolab's third season is all about the amendments to the Constitution. We'll listen to a couple of excerpts in class. Here's a link to the first episode: www.wnycstudios.org/story/most-perfect-album-episode-one-first-second-third-amendments
For Parents
This piece from the Screenagers blog resonated in our pandemic household:
www.screenagersmovie.com/tech-talk-tuesdays/nerves-on-edge-in-your-home
The articles listed below are recommendations from B.C. (Before Coronavirus), so they are not right-now relevant, but still valuable:
I loved this article from the New York Times recently. Lots of great reminders!
www.nytimes.com/2019/08/22/well/family/how-to-help-your-child-study.html
As a parent and as an educator, I enjoyed this article by Po Bronson in New York Magazine (an excerpt from his book, NurtureShock). It's about the sometimes adverse effects of praising our kids:
http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/
This piece from The Atlantic looks at the tendency to rush through tasks
www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/11/relearning-the-lost-skill-of-patience/281482/
This recent Washington Post article explores emotional intelligence and its importance as a lifelong skill.
arc404=truewww.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2019/09/13/why-parents-should-be-concerned-about-their-kids-eq-not-just-their-iq/?arc404=true
This website is loaded with resources for anyone who thinks and learns "differently"
https://www.understood.org/
www.screenagersmovie.com/tech-talk-tuesdays/nerves-on-edge-in-your-home
The articles listed below are recommendations from B.C. (Before Coronavirus), so they are not right-now relevant, but still valuable:
I loved this article from the New York Times recently. Lots of great reminders!
www.nytimes.com/2019/08/22/well/family/how-to-help-your-child-study.html
As a parent and as an educator, I enjoyed this article by Po Bronson in New York Magazine (an excerpt from his book, NurtureShock). It's about the sometimes adverse effects of praising our kids:
http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/
This piece from The Atlantic looks at the tendency to rush through tasks
www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/11/relearning-the-lost-skill-of-patience/281482/
This recent Washington Post article explores emotional intelligence and its importance as a lifelong skill.
arc404=truewww.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2019/09/13/why-parents-should-be-concerned-about-their-kids-eq-not-just-their-iq/?arc404=true
This website is loaded with resources for anyone who thinks and learns "differently"
https://www.understood.org/
Reading Recommendations
Oregon Reader's Choice Awards: a selection of books published in 2019. Read a few, and then you can vote in March 2021!
https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/
I've talked about Goodreads in class. It's a social media site for readers! You can review books, find friends with similar interests, and get book recommendations. And don't even get me started on the "Never-Ending Book Quiz"! You can explore a little, but the features open up if you join by creating a free account.
http://www.goodreads.com/
One of my FAVORITE reading recommendation web sites, published by a youth librarian. Her reviews are often as entertaining to read as the books themselves:
http://www.readingrants.org/
https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/
I've talked about Goodreads in class. It's a social media site for readers! You can review books, find friends with similar interests, and get book recommendations. And don't even get me started on the "Never-Ending Book Quiz"! You can explore a little, but the features open up if you join by creating a free account.
http://www.goodreads.com/
One of my FAVORITE reading recommendation web sites, published by a youth librarian. Her reviews are often as entertaining to read as the books themselves:
http://www.readingrants.org/
History Fun
If you are looking for something to do, and you might like to supplement or support your history learning, you might try "Crash Course U.S. History" by John and Hank Green. https://thecrashcourse.com/courses/ushistory?page=2
Word Fun
This website tests your vocabulary knowledge and lets you help donate food through the World Food Program with every correct answer. Beware: you will want to keep going and going!
http://freerice.com
http://freerice.com
Writing Help
This is a fantastic web site from Purdue University. It features answers to many questions that might come up as students (and parents) are writing at home:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/