Week 8 Parent Newsletter – September 25-29, 2006
Mr. Langhorst – 8th Grade American History
South Valley Junior High School
This Week in Class – The Heart of the American Revolutionary War
We are finishing our study of the American Revolutionary War this week. Students will have all their notes completed on Monday in class and we will be doing a constructed response writing project on the reasons why the Americans won the war. We will also be participating in an activity that demonstrates the economics of a colonial era market place. Economic topics such as bartering, the characteristics of currency and opportunity cost will be addressed in the activity. Students will be given a study guide this week to help them prepare for the Unit 2 test next Tuesday. Friday is an early release day due to Homecoming activities.
Cemetery Tour This Saturday at Fairview Cemetery – Students Can Earn Extra Credit For Attending
There will be an opportunity for students to earn some extra credit as well as learn a little local history on Saturday, October 7th. The city of Liberty will be hosting a historical tour of the Fairview Cemetery that begins at 10:00 AM and will last until roughly 11:00 AM. The Fairview Cemetery is located behind Franklin Elementary close to the square in Liberty. The walking tour of the cemetery will include information on the history of the cemetery, famous citizens of Liberty buried there, stories, etc. All students who attend the tour will be given an extra 25 points added to their Unit 2 test grade. Parents are welcome to attend and in the past have found it very enjoyable. It is open to everyone and typically there are around 30 people or more on the tours.
Unit 2 Projects – Comic Books and Journals
The student project for Unit 2 is to create either a comic book on the American Revolutionary War or a journal written from the perspective of someone from the time period of the American Revolutionary War. This project will be due on Monday, October 9th. Students were given handouts, scoring rubrics and information on this project about a week and a half ago. Many students are working on some amazing projects. To see an example of a comic book project turned in several years ago in my class check out this link: http://www.liberty.k12.mo.us/~elanghorst/comicexample.pdf The project is worth 100 points and there will be a deduction on work turned in late.
Parent Teacher Conference Reminder – Next Week on October 9th and 12th
Just a reminder that conferences are coming up next week. Mark down October 9th from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM and October 12th from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. See you then. Thanks.
Site of the Week – Ellis Island Genealogy and Passenger Record Search
Many of you may have relatives that passed through Ellis Island in New York as immigrants to America. My grandfather was one of those immigrants who passed through this historic site. He came to America as a young man from Germany after World War I in hopes of finding a better life. I am an American citizen today because of the great chance that he took. At the Ellis Island site you can research your relatives that passed through as immigrants. I found my grandfathers records and an actual photograph of the page he signed as he was processed into this country. It is FREE and a great way to learn more about your past. Check it out at: http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/
Mr. Langhorst – 8th Grade American History
South Valley Junior High School
This Week in Class – The Heart of the American Revolutionary War
We are finishing our study of the American Revolutionary War this week. Students will have all their notes completed on Monday in class and we will be doing a constructed response writing project on the reasons why the Americans won the war. We will also be participating in an activity that demonstrates the economics of a colonial era market place. Economic topics such as bartering, the characteristics of currency and opportunity cost will be addressed in the activity. Students will be given a study guide this week to help them prepare for the Unit 2 test next Tuesday. Friday is an early release day due to Homecoming activities.
Cemetery Tour This Saturday at Fairview Cemetery – Students Can Earn Extra Credit For Attending
There will be an opportunity for students to earn some extra credit as well as learn a little local history on Saturday, October 7th. The city of Liberty will be hosting a historical tour of the Fairview Cemetery that begins at 10:00 AM and will last until roughly 11:00 AM. The Fairview Cemetery is located behind Franklin Elementary close to the square in Liberty. The walking tour of the cemetery will include information on the history of the cemetery, famous citizens of Liberty buried there, stories, etc. All students who attend the tour will be given an extra 25 points added to their Unit 2 test grade. Parents are welcome to attend and in the past have found it very enjoyable. It is open to everyone and typically there are around 30 people or more on the tours.
Unit 2 Projects – Comic Books and Journals
The student project for Unit 2 is to create either a comic book on the American Revolutionary War or a journal written from the perspective of someone from the time period of the American Revolutionary War. This project will be due on Monday, October 9th. Students were given handouts, scoring rubrics and information on this project about a week and a half ago. Many students are working on some amazing projects. To see an example of a comic book project turned in several years ago in my class check out this link: http://www.liberty.k12.mo.us/~elanghorst/comicexample.pdf The project is worth 100 points and there will be a deduction on work turned in late.
Parent Teacher Conference Reminder – Next Week on October 9th and 12th
Just a reminder that conferences are coming up next week. Mark down October 9th from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM and October 12th from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. See you then. Thanks.
Site of the Week – Ellis Island Genealogy and Passenger Record Search
Many of you may have relatives that passed through Ellis Island in New York as immigrants to America. My grandfather was one of those immigrants who passed through this historic site. He came to America as a young man from Germany after World War I in hopes of finding a better life. I am an American citizen today because of the great chance that he took. At the Ellis Island site you can research your relatives that passed through as immigrants. I found my grandfathers records and an actual photograph of the page he signed as he was processed into this country. It is FREE and a great way to learn more about your past. Check it out at: http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/
