Finishing Up 7th Grade (Week 35)

It's hard to believe that this year is nearly over! It has flown by. It has been my immense pleasure and honor to teach each one of you this year; I feel truly lucky to have known each of you. Although we have had our fantastic days and a few rough ones, this has been an incredible year! I hope that you each remember that although I might drive you crazy from time to time, I do begin and end each day with these questions:

• Is this best for kids?
• Am I being the change I want to see in this world?
• Is this is a classroom I would want my niece to be in?

Some days the answers are YES and others, I've realized it was a loud NO!

For your final blog, please reflect on this year. Write about a few (2-4) experiences that have really stood out to you. This will be in paragraph form. It doesn't have to be about LA/SS. Anything that has happened this school year is fine!

The Colombian Exchange (Week 34)

Tuesday in class, you learned about the three major effects of the Colombian Exchange: disease, slavery and mercantilism. Of these three, which do you think was the most damaging to the people of the Americas? Be sure to back up your statement with explanation - your answer should be about a paragraph in length.

Local Color (Week 33)

Think about the documentary we watched in class on Monday, "Local Color."

 

During this time period, was the South or Portland more racist?

 

Please write a paragraph explaining which area you think was more racist and why you think that.

ROT Themes (Week 32)

This year, we've examined multiple themes through literature. In Roll of Thunder, there were many different themes presented. Please choose one of the theme statements below (or write your own based on ROT) and explain how it applies to your life in a paragraph:

• Challenges are tough or easy. It's how you deal with them that gives them their complexity.
• Sometimes you have to get your clothes dirty.
• It takes nothing to start a fight. It takes skill to stop one.
• Handling difficulties as a child is not easy. Sometimes handling them at all makes you an adult.
• Give other people chances, not just one chance.

Renaissance Values (Wk 31)

Last week with Mr. Pepper, you talked about Renaissance Values and what it meant to be a Renaissance Man or Woman. Please choose three Renaissance Values and explain how you exmplify them. Your reponse should be a paragraph in length.

The three Renaissance Values that I most exmplify are Love of Classical Learning, Adventures in Exploration and Beauty of the Human Body. For Classical Learning, I teach the history of the Greeks and Romans. I love to hear about ancient societies and to analyze how they have influenced us today. One of my favorite passtimes is to travel and discover places I haven't been to. Each new place brings me a new sense of wonder about our world. Finally, for the Beauty of the Human body, I exercise to keep my body healthy. By eating right and exercising, I am showing the Renaissance Value of the Human Body.

Cassie vs. Lillian Jean (Week 30)

We learn a lot about both Cassie and Lillian Jean in Ch. 8. Pick one of the girls and write one thing you learned about her. Your response should be a paragraph in length.

After Cassie beats up Lillian Jean, I learned how naive she is. She is so confused and bewildered at what happened. It shows she is naive because she truly thinks only the way she has been taught and not for herself. Further, she truly believes that Cassie was her friend, not just fooling her.

The Crusades (Week 29)

Find your notes from the Crusades. Think about each of the three groups: the Byzantines, the Jews and the Muslims. Which group do you think was most impacted by the Crusades? Why? Your response should be a short paragraph in length.