What are we going to do this year

What are we going to do this year?

I am very excited about school this year because we purchased new History textbooks. Included with the textbooks are many resources that have not been available to me in the past. We have access to technology components & videos that should enhance learning & make school a little more interesting.

Students always want to know why we have to learn about people & events that happened so many years ago. I firmly believe the saying that "If we do not learn from history, then we are doomed to repeat it." We examine history to find out not only what happened, but why it happened. The challenge is then to connect historical events to the world we live in today.

By the time students reach 7th & 8th grades we expect them to develop some independent thinking skills. They will spend time working both independently & in small group settings, using critical thinking skills to find information that is relevant to our topics. 7th graders will get a chance to make an artifact from history & do a research report to share with the class: I am trying to develop a similar type of activity for the 8th graders this year. When we begin study of the Constitution the 8th graders will be divided into "states" as part of a "country" & will have the opportunity to experience democracy in the classroom setting.

There is basically one simple rule in my classroom: DO THE RIGHT THING. We will spend time identifying the "right thing" so students will know how to act in my class. I believe that character development is tremendously important & I try to use every chance I get to help the students learn qualities like respect, responsibility, effort, etc.