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Week 7 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 in the middle of our study of the American Revolutionary War. This week we are taking some notes on the war as well as starting to view the movie “The Crossing”. A&E Network created and showed “The Crossing” several years ago. It is an excellent historical view of Washington’s historic crossing of the Delaware River and attack at Trenton. Check out more about “The Crossing” here: Students this week are also working on their Unit 2 project – either a comic book or journal about the Revolutionary War – which is due on October 9th. On Tuesday we will also take a look at the role of music in the Revolutionary War – both as entertainment and as a means to communicate in the field with the military.

Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum
This past week I attended the Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum in Redmond, Washington with fellow South Valley Jr High 8th grade American History teacher Erin Garvey. We were one of the 27 learning teams selected to attend from 17 different states. We were one of only 3 teams to represent the Midwest – there was also a team from Illinois and Michigan. The major theme of the forum was collaboration. We were divided into learning teams and introduced to a specific learning strategy called “Expeditionary Learning”. In this exercise a learning group is given mystery texts to introduce a theme or place. My group was given information about a market and we soon discovered that we were on our way to explore Pike Market in Seattle – the place where the guys throw fish in the market. We were able to explore the market for a couple of hours taking pictures with digital cameras and recording audio with a digital recorder. We then returned to the Microsoft Corporate Campus and had about an hour to create a 10 minute presentation that we would offer to other participants the next day. We use a program named PhotoStory which allows you to use digital pictures in a slideshow format. You can check out my group’s video at:
www.liberty.k12.mo.us/~elanghorst/pikemarket.wmv We also attended an awards dinner on Thursday night and listened to a keynote address by Tom Carroll on Friday. I have included some podcasts and pictures from the forum at my pocast site. You can check it out at: www.speakingofhistory.blogspot.com It was a great learning experience and Erin and I brought back some great ideas that we can use in our classrooms.

Conference Reminder
Just a reminder that conferences are coming up in a couple of weeks. 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 – Front Pages from Around the World
The featured site this week is for all of you that love media and the news. This site allows you to check out the front pages of over 520 newspapers from around the United States and over 50 countries. This is a great tool for teachers who incorporate current events in their class but it is also great to look at for fun. You can click on any page to see an enlarged color version of the front page. It is also possible to view the front pages from around the world on recent historical dates – such as 9/11 or the day the Shuttle exploded in 2003. Check it out at:
http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/

Have a great week and let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.

Week 7 of the First Semester
September 25 - 29, 2006


Monday - Jay Day - September 25
- Questions and answers about the Unit 2 project - comic book or journal due Oct 9th
- Watch section 1 of the movie "The Crossing"
- Homework - be working on Unit 2 project (due Oct 9) and have Unit 2.3 notes completed for class on Wednesday/Thursday

Tuesday - Jay Day - September 26
- Music in the Revolutionary War activity
- homework - be working on Unit 2 project (due Oct 9) and have Unit 2.3 notes completed for class on Wednesday/Thursday

Wednesday - Blue Day - Semptember 27 / Thursday - White Day - September 28
- watch section 2 of the movie "The Crossing"
- discuss Unit 2.3 Notes "The Path to Victory" in class
- homework - be working on Unit 2 project (due Oct 9)and have Unit 2.4 notes completed for class on Monday

Friday - Jay Day - September 29

- watch section 3 of the movie "The Crossing"
- homework - be working on Unit 2 project (due Oct 9)and have Unit 2.4 notes completed for class on Monday

Week 6 Parent Newsletter – September 18-22, 2006
Mr. Langhorst – 8th Grade American History
South Valley Junior High School


This Week in Class – The American Revolution
We are starting our work on Unit 2 this week and will be focusing on the American Revolutionary War. Students were given their Unit 2 note packets on Monday we will be working with sections 1 and 2 in class during the current week. Just a reminder that one of the advantages of having the note packets is that students can work ahead if they have time. We will also be introducing our project for Unit 2 – students will be creating a comic book or journal that describes a particular part of the war or the entire event. We have done this project for the past 5 years and it has produced some incredibly creative results. I will be sharing some examples with students and sharing a rubric with them for the project. The project will be due at the end of our unit when we take the test in several weeks.


Constitution Day Video
Every school in America is mandated by law to do something to celebrate or mention Constitution Day on September 17th – the day the Constitution was adopted. Since this fell on a Sunday this year, we celebrated on Monday by showing a short (90 seconds) video that I created with the help of students and staff at South Valley Jr High. We also meet this requirement by studying the Constitution later in the year with two units of our curriculum. You can view the video online at:
http://www.liberty.k12.mo.us/svjh/constitutionday2006.wmv

States Test on Thursday
On of the Missouri Grade Level Expectations for 8th graders in social studies is that they can identify the location of the 50 states. We took a states test earlier in the year and we will be taking our second one this Thursday – September 21. Once a student earns a 100% score on two states tests in a row they have "tested out" and we can say they know the location of the 50 states. The next time we take the states test, in a couple of weeks, they will not need to take it. You can help your student review for the states test using the online states game link located at the bottom of the classroom web site.

Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum
I will be out of the classroom on Thursday and Friday this week attending an event sponsored by Microsoft at their corporate headquarters in Redmond, Washington. I and fellow 8th South Valley Jr High social studies teacher Erin Garvey, have been selected as one of 25 learning teams to attend the 2006 Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum. We will be meeting with learning groups from 17 different states to discuss how we use technology in the classroom to help teach our curriculum. It should be an exciting opportunity to meet with other educators on the use of technology. We will include a report in the next parent newsletter upon our return. You can read more about the Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum at:
http://www.microsoft.com/education/InTeachersForum.mspx

E-Mail Grade Reports
Monday I sent out grade reports via e-mail to both students and parents. The grade sheet includes all assignments through September 18th. Some students were absent the day of the test and are taking their test this week. Those test grades will be added as they are taken. If you have any questions about the current grade please feel free to e-mail me and I will do the best to respond quickly.

Site of the Week – This Day in History from the History Channel
Ever wonder what historical events happened on the day you were born? This site from the History Channel tells you the historical events that happened on any day of the year. It is even divided up into categories. You can also check out video clips of famous events that took place that week in history. I found out that Charles Lindbergh died on my birthday in 1974, the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote is ratified and the Second Battle of Bull Run took place during the Civil War. You can even e-mail it to someone and print it. Check it out at:
http://www.history.com/tdih.do
If you have any questions please feel free to send me an e-mail for give me a call. I will be out of town from Wednesday night until late Friday for the event in Washington so e-mails may get returned a little later than usual this week. Don’t forget to enjoy the Fall Liberty Festival this weekend. Check the list of activities taking place – they usually have some historical events and reenactments happening. Talk to you later.


Mr. Langhorst

Week 6 of First Semester
September 18-22, 2006


Monday - Jay Day (SAT Testing Schedule) - September 18

  • handout Unit 2 "The Revolutionary War" Note Packet
  • time to work on Unit 2 Note Packet
  • hand back Unit 1 note packets from last week and discuss the Unit 1 test from Friday
  • Homework - complete Unit 2.1 Notes "Early Years of the War" for class on Tuesday - study for the states test on Thursday

Tuesday - Jay Day (SAT Testing Schedule) - September 19

  • CNN Student News
  • Discuss Unit 2.1 Notes "Early Years of the War" in class with PowerPoint
  • Homework - complete Unit 2.2 Notes "The War Expands" for Friday - study for the states test on Thursday


Wednesday - Jay Day (SAT Testing Schedule) - September 20

  • Explain the Revolutionary War project - Comic Book or Journal
  • Finish Unit 2.1 Notes "Early Years of the War" in class with PowerPoint
  • Homework - complete Unit 2.2 Notes "The War Expands" for Friday - study for the states test on Thursday

Thursday - Jay Day (SAT Testing Schedule) - September 21

  • Take states test
  • Time to work on the Revolutionary War project - Comic Book or Journal
  • Homework - complete Unit 2.2 Notes "The War Expands" for Friday


Friday - Jay Day (SAT Testing Schedule) - September 22

  • Discuss Unit 2.2 Notes "The War Expands in Class"
  • Homework - complete Unite 2.3 Notes "The Path to Victory" for class on Monday

Week 5 Parent Newsletter – September 11-15, 2006
Mr. Langhorst – 8th Grade American History
South Valley Junior High School

This Week in Class – The Road to Revolution
As we dig into week 5 of the first semester we are finishing our unit on the causes leading up to the American Revolution. This week we take a closer look at the start of the continental army with George Washington at the helm and the creation of the Declaration of Independence. We have an interesting writing assignment with the Declaration of Independence on Wednesday and Thursday (ask you student about it after the complete it in class, I don’t want to give away the surprise) and a Jeopardy game style review to help prepare for the test on Friday.

Unit 1 “The Road to Revolution” Test on Friday
Our first unit test of the year will be coming up on Friday over Unit 1. The students have been filling out their note packet on the first unit and will use it to help study for the test and then turn it in on Friday for a completion grade. The students will take the test in the computer lab on Friday. The testing is completing with an online assessment program called Quia which gives the students instant feedback on the test they just took and gives me instant feedback on how the class is doing on specific questions and items. If you would like to find out more about how I use Quia in the classroom you can listen to the most recent podcast from Speaking of History –
www.liberty.k12.mo.us/~elanghorst/speakingofhistory40.mp3

Study Guides and StudyCasts for Unit 1
There are several items available online to help your student prepare for the test. The first in an audio review called a “StudyCast” that allows you to listen to a 20 minute review of the material to be covered on the test. I started the use of StudyCasts in the classroom last year and it was very successful. You can listen to the MP3 file through the speakers on your computer. Students have the advantage of listening to the StudyCast as many times as they wish and pause it at any point. Last year several parents commented that they listened to the StudyCast with their students. The Unit 1 StudyCast can be heard at:
www.liberty.k12.mo.us/~elanghorst/unit1studycast2006.mp3 Since the StudyCast is an MP3 file it can also be downloaded to a portable MP3 player like an i-Pod. Students that do not have Internet access at home can request a CD copy of the review which they can use at home on a CD player.

A paper copy of the Unit 1 Study Guide is also available. Students were given a paper copy in class earlier this week but it can also be viewed online at:
www.liberty.k12.mo.us/~elanghorst/unit1studyguide.pdf It can be viewed as a PDF file on your computer or printed out on a printer.

Classroom Web Site Recognized by Education World
This week I was honored to be featured on the Teacher Feature page of the Education World web site. It describes some of the ways we use technology in the classroom including book blogs and podcasting. You can view the article at:
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/teacher_feature/teacher_feature124.shtml

Site of the Week – Tips for Parents from MSTA
This week’s site is from the Missouri State Teachers Association. The organization produces a 12 page guide with tips for parents to help their student succeed in the classroom. It contains suggestions on specifics like math and science homework as well items for parent teacher conferences. It is available to view and/or print as a pdf file at:
http://www.msta.org/files/regions/tipsforparents.pdf

Have a great week and please email me any questions or concerns you may have and I will respond as quickly possible. Thanks.

Eric Langhorst

Week 5 of First Semester
September 11-15, 2006

Monday - Jay Day (Early Release Schedule) - September 11
  • go over Unit 1.5 Notes "The Birth of an Army" in class
  • handout Unit 1 Study Guide for the test coming up Friday of this week
  • Homework - have Unit 1.6 Notes "The Declaration of Independence" completed for Tuesday

Tuesday - Jay Day - September 12
  • go over Unit 1.6 Notes "The Declaration of Independence" in class
  • Homework - be studying for the upcoming Unit 1 test on Friday

Wednesday - Blue Day - September 13 / Thursday - White Day - September 14
  • play review game in class to prepare for the Unit 1 test on Friday
  • writing assignment with the Declaration of Independence
  • CNN Student News
  • Homework - be studying for the Unit 1 test on Friday and have your Unit 1 note packet completed and ready to turn in on Friday before taking the test

Friday - Jay Day - September 15
  • meet in the LMC computer lab
  • hand in Unit 1 Note Packet
  • take the Unit 1 Test "The Road to Revolution"
  • Homework - none, enjoy a good book this weekend

Week 4 Parent Newsletter – September 4-8, 2006
Mr. Langhorst – 8th Grade American History
South Valley Junior High School


Welcome

Hello and welcome to the first edition of the parent newsletter. This is the fourth year I have sent out a parent newsletter and I have found it to be a very productive method of letting you know what is happening in class. Comments from parents have been extremely positive and I have found that in addition to opening communication between you and I as parent and teacher, it has also had an impact on parents and students. When parents know what is happening in the classroom and which topics are being covered, it is much easier for them to start a conversation with their student about school.

The content of the newsletter will vary from week to week but I will always include a list of the lesson plans being covered in class for the week and a general summary of the topics we are covering in the curriculum. This information is also available on the classroom web site and the parent newsletter blog. (More information about the site below.) Thanks for taking the time to read the parent newsletter and let me know if you have any suggestions or comments.

Classroom Web Site
If you have not yet visited the classroom web site I would encourage you to check it out at:
www.liberty.k12.mo.us/~elanghorst and bookmark it on your computer. I update the site daily and work hard to maintain fresh content and resources. Features of the web site include links to lesson plans, copies of notes, study guides, links to helpful sites and news about what is happening in class. Two links of interest are the links marked “Class Scribe Blog” and “Parent Newsletter Blog”. The Parent Newsletter Blog contains basically the same information that is included in this e-mail. The Class Scribe Blog is a new feature this year in which a student is selected each day to write a blog entry about what we did in class. This blog is helpful to students who missed class and what to check up on what they missed and it is read by teachers and historians who follow the activities of our class. It is currently being read by people all over the United States and several other countries.

Lights! Camera! Learning! – The Boston Massacre News Project

This week we are filming our project for Unit 1 – creating a modern day news broadcast of the Boston Massacre in 1770. The Boston Massacre was a critical turning point in the days leading up to the Revolutionary War. It made many undecided citizens of Boston very anti-British. News coverage of the event at the time was very one sided – the Sons of Liberty used it as a propaganda tool to make the British soldiers the enemy of the citizens of Boston. We film a news broadcast of the Boston Massacre as it would be reported today – interviews with soldiers, eye witnesses, the King, etc. It helps the students not only understand the importance of the Boston Massacre as a historical event but the role of media today and how it impacts public perception. We filmed the segments this week and editing will begin next week. Once we have the finished product we will post them on the Internet for you to view. This will be the fifth year we have done this project in class and it has been featured in a magazine produced by the History Channel and it will be focus of an article in an upcoming issue of Discovery Education later this fall.

Unit Test Next Week – September 15th
Our first unit test of the year - over the beginnings of the American Revolutionary War - will take place next Friday on September 15th. Students at the start of next week will be given a paper copy of the study guide and a studycast will be made available as well. A studycast is an audio review for the test that can be heard through the Internet via a link on the classroom web site or downloaded to a personal MP3 player like an i-Pod. Links for these materials will be made available at the start of next week.

Link of the Week – Gas Buddy
From time to time I will try to pass along links that I have found interesting or use in class. This week’s link is Gas Buddy. We have not used it in class yet this year but thought you would find it interesting. This site:
http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx shows you a average price of gas in each county across the United States. It is a great discussion starter for why gas prices vary – a lesson we will use when we discuss taxes later in the year.

Parent Connect Update
If you have not yet signed up for Parent Connect I would encourage you to do sign up. It allows you to see the grades for your student in every class. We have had only two grades so far this year – a 50 states test and a homework check. These grades will be updated by Monday, September 11th and I will send out a grade report update via e-mail as well. Parent Connect is updated every couple of weeks so it does depend a little on which day you access it.

Thanks and have a great week!

Week 4 of First Semester
September 4 - 8, 2006

Monday - September 4
  • No School - Labor Day

Tuesday - September 5 - Jay Day
  • Presentation on Student E-Mail
  • Final plans for taping the Boston Massacre News Video Project
  • Homework - have Unit 1.4 Notes "Shot Heard "Round the World" done before class on Friday

Wednesday - September 6 - Blue Day / Thursday - September 7 - White Day
  • Taping for the Boston Massacre News Video Projeject
  • Homework - have Unit 1.4 Notes "Shot Heard 'Round the World" done before class on Friday

Friday - September 8 - Jay Day
  • Go over Unit 1.4 Notes "Shot Heard 'Round the World"
  • Homework - have Unit 1.5 Notes "Birth of an Army" done for class on Monday




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