Welcome to 2011-2012

TISD School Fusion Website

Regular postings for this class are now being done at the IDS 7 page at the TISD School Fusion website. You can access it here.

Monday, 9/14/09

For Tue., 9/15: Quiz over Chapter 1 Summary: Land of Contrasts

Today's Classroom Learning Activities

1. Students were given the study CHART for the First Six Weeks Curriculum-Based Assessment (CBA). The CBA will be given on or around Thursday or Friday, 10/1 or 2.

2. We read, highlighted, color-coded, and analyzed the Chapter 1 Summary: Land of Contrasts in preparation for tomorrow's Quiz.

Friday, 9/11/09

For Mon., 9/14: No assignment

Today's Classroom Learning Activities

1. We read the last section from the What is History? packet: "In Space: The Planet Earth."

2. We played the chronology puzzle/game, "A Short History of America." This involved putting eleven pictures in chronological order, first by yourself and then by working with your classmates. The eleven pictures show the development of a human society on the same geographical space. At no time did the teacher verify whether your chronology was right or wrong. Students had to depend on their own judgment and that of their classmates.

Thursday, 9/10/09

For Friday, 9/11: Finish reading the CHART: Time Periods of Texas History twice, if you haven't already.

Today's Classroom Learning Activities

1. I explained the importance of checking Gradespeed on a regular basis and warned of the deleterious effects of zeros on your grade average.

2. We took the QUIZ over the Timeline of Texas History.

3. You were supposed to read the CHART: Time Periods of Texas History twice, as stated above.

Wednesday, 9/9/9

For Thursday, 9/10: Timeline Quiz - Texas History through the Civil War - Click here for Timeline Quiz instructions. Remember that for the Timeline Quiz, the required bits are:

1) Names of the Time Periods from Indian Period through Civil War.

2. Dates of the Time Periods from Indian Period through Civil War.

Everything else is EXTRA CREDIT.

Today's Classroom Activities
1. We spent the period getting ready for tomorrow's Timeline Quiz.
2. We color-codes the Time Periods.
3. We jotted information that will help us remember the Time Periods. This information can also count as EXTRA CREDIT on the Timeline Quiz.

Tuesday, 9/8/09

For Wednesday: No assignment, but Timeline Quiz will be on Thursday. See Timeline Quiz instructions here.

Today's Classroom Learning Activities

1. Students listed The Ten Most Important Events in My Life Thus Far.
2. Students classified each of the ten events by SMERFCAPS (sociology, military, economics, etc.).
3. We finished reading "The Development of Human Societies" and "In Time: The Past" sections of the "What is History?" packet.
4. Students numbered off the ten most important events in chronological order.
5. Students made a table dividing their lives into three time periods and wrote each of the ten most important events of their life into the correct time period.

Timeline Quiz

For Thur, 9/10: Timeline Quiz
1. Be able to fill out the Time Periods of Texas History through the Civil War, as indicated in class today.
2. Know the names and dates of the time periods through the Civil War.
3. You may learn everything else for Extra Credit on the timeline quiz.
4. The quiz will count as 3 daily grades.
5. Here is a copy of the timeline, in case you need it.
6. Click here for a blank copy, in case you want to take some practice quizzes. Here's another blank one, in case the first one doesn't open for you. You can click on the one above to make it larger.

Friday, 9/4/09

For Tuesday: Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Today's Classroom Learning Activities

1. We graded the "Shipwrecked" SMERFCAPS classification assignment.

2. We finished arguing as to how to rank the choices in "Shipwrecked," including what should be done last.

Thursday, 9/3/09

For Fri., 9/4: Have the classification part of "Shipwrecked in Outer Space" ready to turn in when you arrive in class. Remember to write which SMERFCAPS each of the 16 items is and to explain why you classified it as you did. Your explanation should include part of the simple definition of the SMERFCAPS found in the "What is History" packet.

Today's Classroom Learning Activities

You did a superb job of discussing "Shipwrecked in Outer Space"!!! That flapping sound you heard? Just yours truly ascending into Teacher Heaven. Wow!

Wednesday, 9/2/09

For Thur., 9/3: Finish the Lamar Middle School Social Groups/Culture table (chart) we worked on in class yesterday and today.

Today's Classroom Learning Activities:

1. Group Work on the Lamar Social Groups/Culture table

2. Textbook pictures illustrating Aspects of Human Development in Texas history (i.e., pics of SMERFCAPS)

Table of Contents - 1st Six Weeks

The following is a working Table of Contents for your First Six Weeks Folder. I will keep adding to it as we proceed through the six weeks. This will help you stay organized and get your papers ready to turn in for the folder grade at the end of the First Six Weeks. Remember: Throw nothing away.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF HISTORY
_____Circle Map: "Me"
_____Six Pics: Student Table
_____Six Pictures Supposedly Depicting William Barrett Travis
_____Circle Map: "Texas"
_____What is History? packet
_____The Interrelationship Between Social Groups & Culture (here at Lamar Middle School)
_____Shipwrecked in Outer Space

_____The 10 Most Important Events in My Life Thus Far

_____Timeline of Texas History (w/ words & dates)

_____Timeline of Texas History (blank)
_____CHART: Time Periods of Texas History
_____A Short History of America (sequence puzzle)

TEXAS GEOGRAPHY
_____Texas Geography and I
_____Chapter 1 Summary: Land of Contrasts
_____Rivers of Texas (two-sided page of study maps)
_____Chapter 2 Summary: Regions of Texas
_____Regions Debate Notes: My Region
_____Opposition Notes for Regions Debate
_____6 Maps for Regions Debate
_____Group Planning for Regions Debate

_____Opening Speech for Regions Debate

_____Chapter Summaries for Chapters 1-6 - Chapters 1-5 to be learned for CBA (Curriculum-Based Assessment, 9/30/09)

Tuesday, 9/1/09

Happy September, Students!

For Wed: No Assignment.

Today's Classroom Learning Activities:

1. Warmup: Read the rest of the "What is History?" packet. - You can download a copy of the packet by clicking here.

2. Drew symbols for each of the Aspects of Human Development (SMERFCAPS).

3. Quiet study of the SMERFCAPS. Memorized the definitions and explanations for each of the 9 Aspects of Human Development.

4. Oral Drill: SMERFCAPS

5. The History of History: One of the Aspects of Human Development/SMERFCAPS is Culture. One subject you can study in cultural history is history. You can actually study "the history of history." For example, you can study the "history of the history of slavery," the "history of the history of Texas," and the "history of the history of the United States." Many historians 100 years ago were saying that slavery was a good system, that the slaves were treated well by their masters, were given plenty to eat, good housing and clothing, and were basically happy to be slaves. Later historians began to describe slavery as a harsh, evil system in which slaves were treated brutally, were fed, clothed, and housed poorly, and were basically very unhappy to be slaves. You can read more about the history of the history of slavery here.

6. The Relationship between Social Groups & Culture: Sociology and culture are often closely interrelated. Different social groups often have unique ways of entertaining, educating, and expressing themselves through their own music, art, dance, movies, language, etc. We brainstormed various groups of students here at Lamar and then split into six groups. Each group was responsible for identifying the music, dress and grooming, movies, t.v. shows, lingo, dance, etc., favored by each of the Lamar groups (emos, goths, nerds, IDS, band, etc.).

Impromptu Question on the Indians

Impromptu Student Question: How could we prove/know that Indians had been right here on this space that is now Lamar Middle School?

Students suggested the following.

**Someone old enough to remember Indians here could be a primary source.

**A journal written down about and passed down by the Indians telling they had gone through this space and possibly killed some mighty animals.

**You could actually study the Indians who had been around this area…you could ask your family about stories about Temple.

**Ask an Indian.

**Look underneath the building for footprints.

**You could prove it with any artifacts you could find on the site…e.g. arrowheads, pottery, their daily tools they used to survive.

I wonder if you have any further thoughts about this, students? Please answer in an anonymous comment.

Thur, 27aug09

Becker's Definition of "History"

For Thursday, 8/27: Here are the instructions I gave in class for this assignment.

Becker’s Definition of “History”

history: the study of the development of human societies in time and in space – Carl Becker, American historian

Directions: Write 3 paragraphs explaining what Becker MIGHT have meant when he defined history in this way. Each paragraph should have four or more sentences discussing the following.

1. Write one paragraph about what Becker might have meant by “the development of human societies.”

2. Write one paragraph about what he might have meant by “in time.”

3. Write one paragraph about what he might have meant by “in space.”

Remember, there are not specific "right" and "wrong" answers to this. I want to see evidence that you are thinking and trying to figure out what Becker MIGHT have meant.

Image Source: http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/73/6373-003-91ACED5E.gif

Six Pics Activity: Good Job, Students!

You did excellent work analyzing the Six Pics of You Know Who! Here is a Slideboom presentation of the Six Pics. Click here to link to the table I compiled as you shared your analysis.

Six Pics - Slideboom

View more presentations or Upload your own.

Welcome to IDS 7

Welcome, students, to Interdisciplinary Seminar (IDS) 7. We are delighted you have chosen this class and look forward to learning together this year. Our primary focus will be the coordinated study of English/Language Arts and Texas history, geography, and government in depth and complexity. We hope that through this course you will grow intellectually and discover how events in Texas and beyond have helped shape you into the person you are and will become.

Texids blog is set up to assist your learning activities in the course, particularly with the social studies component. You hopefully should be able to access Texids from home and/or with other computers connected to the Internet. We will also be using computer labs here at LMS on a regular basis. If you don't have home access to computers, please come see me, and I'll make arrangements to help you be able to check the blog on a regular basis.

Now I want you to copy something into the front of your notebook:

1. Bring all supplies and learning materials to IDS 7 every class day.

2. Throw away nothing from this course unless told to do so. We will organize your papers into a folder at the end of each six weeks. The folder will count as multiple grades.

And now, here's your first assignment. Happily it's a fairly easy one.

For Tuesday, 8/25: Bring the following supplies to class. You will receive a grade for bringing the supplies. Remember to bring them with you each day of class.

***Looseleaf binder and notebook paper

***Subject dividers

***Bic (or some other brand) 4-color pen

***Highlighter pens (4 or 5)--light colors: yellow, orange, light blue, light green, pink

***Colored markers (package of 8-10 thick-nibbed ones)

***Small stapler

***Hole punch

***Post-its--2 or 3 different small pads

***Small bag to hold pens, stapler, etc.--Not necessary if you can bring them in a backpack or some such carrier

Note: If you have any difficulty in getting the supplies or if you need more time, just bring a note from home signed by a parent or guardian, and you will be given more time.

I also plan to post links to some of the learning activities we do in class. Feel free to download them to your own computers for future use. I strongly encourage you to fool around with them and improve them. I will give you Extra Credit for doing so. Get creative, people!

Summer Assignment

Due All Summer Long: An Enjoyable and Rewarding Vacation!

Once again, students, it was an honor and a pleasure learning with you in IDS 7 this year. Thank you for your hard work, participation, insights, and cooperation. All best wishes to you now and always.

Study Tips: Second Semester Final Exam

Your Second Semester Final Exam will be from 7:55-9:50 A.M., Thursday, 6/4/09. Carefully study the following.

1. Units 6, 7, & 8 Chapter Summaries. .

2. CHART: Time Periods of Texas History - You can get a copy here.

3. . Maps & Chart
p. 399 - The West Texas Wars (final defeat of the Indians)
415 - Texas Cattle Trails (Gilded Age; notice that the cattle were rounded up in South Texas and "driven" overland to the railroad lines in Kansas, Missouri, etc.)
439 - Major Railroads in Texas, c. 1900 (After there were more railroads in Texas, the cattle didn't have to be driven up the trails to the North. The train rides were much more comfortable even though the final result was still unpleasant--for the bovines, at least.)
461 - Major Petroleum Discoveries in Texas, 1901-1929 (Spindletop wasn't the first oil discovery in Texas but it set off an oil "boom" that eventually made Texas the #1 petroleum state in the USA.)
501 - Dust Bowl during the Great Depression (1929-40)
519 - Texas in World War II (WW II greatly increased industrial production in TX.)
537 - Effects of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994) on the TX economy
597 - Chart: Ethnic Distribution, 2000 Census

For Monday: Folder Due & Study for Final Exam

For Mon., 6/1

1. Folder (Binder) Due for Semester 2: Have it ready to turn in Monday when you reach class. You can get an extra copy of the Table of Contents and Instructions here.

2. Be studying for Thursday's Second Semester Final Exam. Study these papers to which we attached Post-Its.

• CHART: Time Periods of Texas History
• Unit 6 Chapter Summaries: Gilded Age
• Unit 7 Chapter Summaries: 1900-1950
• Unit 8 Chapter Summaries: 1950-Present

Thank goodness this does not apply to any of YOU!! :D