Think-Pair-Share: Cask & Heart

Think-Pair-Share: Montresor or Narrator of “The Tell-Tell Heart”: Who is more evil?

Student C: we both agree M is more evil…he doesn’t seem to feel as guilty as narrator…the bones were there undisturbed (M) but N goes crazy because of guilt…

Student T: N because he kills the man just because of his eye…M kills the man is just telling pretty much…

Student R:: N because he kills an innocent old man while he’s in bed and no reason to kill him…M has a reason because he makes fun of him and he wants revenge…n cuts up the body

Student M: N because the blindeyeguy is his friend, n watches him sleep, puts the bed on top of him, cuts him up and puts him under the floor

Student H: M because he was his friend and he was drunk and he says come taste the amontillado, seals him in little room and leaves him there to starve to death…at least N did it quickly (maybe) and didn’t leave him to starve to death.

Student C: M because he basically tortured his friend, he’d known him for awhile, because of a joke M had made…kind of disturbing to have somebody be friends w/ you and then take them down to the cellar and change to stone and put a wall around you and let you starve to death.

Student A: N because he lives w/ the guy he kills and that’s kind of mean and for a week he watches him and when he kills him he cuts him up and that’s not very nice and then he puts him under the floor…his excuse : the old man was on a journey.

Student C: M because he made Fortunato suffer…the N killed the old man quickly but M left F in a room and let him starve to death.

Male Student M: N because he kills a man and the way he kills him, for no good reason, just for his eye, just for his looks (vulture eye), the old man never did anything to him, was always nice to him, never hurt him

Student J: BOTH: both killed the dudes, but one suffered and one got suffocated and cut up…they’re even

Student B: N because he kills a guy just because of his eye; he loved the old man but M had a reason to kill Fortunato but N just killed him because of the eye

Student K: N because he doesn’t really have a reason, like going up to someone and saying I don’t like your hair…M had a better reason because F was mocking him…N suffocated him in his sleep, living w/ the guy, who trusted him

Student D: N because he didn’t have a reason…he actually love the guy before he killed him, probably still loved him but for the eye…he was utterly insane…M has been hating F for a long time for things he’d done to him (his family motto: (Does Not Take to Insult”) – Don’t know if F is still alive or died of nitre---N cut his body for enjoyment, made him feel good to kill the guy he loved…in the end the N is proved insane, he hallucinates the hearing of the heartbeat…why it’s called
”The Tell-Tale Heart”

Student B: M because of what everyone else said…something unique: he has a trowel…alcoholic because he likes wine…sealed the guy behind a wall

Student S: N because he loved the guy…psychiatric condition, he tortured the guy on purpose before he killed him…M knew he would die iin the catacombs, but he just wanted him to die…well, also to suffer

Student R: M because he did it for revenge whereas N did because geezer was driving him crazy

Student M: N was more evil…would be like killing your wife just because of that stupid mole on her forehead…M let F suffer but didn’t torture him, didn’t cut him up

Student J: N because of killing geezer because of eye

Both did it in a way they would never be discovered

Compared to Gen. Zaroff

Which of the three is the best story?

What’s a one-word theme for each?

TTTH: kill…murder…may…insane…mad…psychiatric…psychotic…sinister…paranoid…disturbed

TCOA: deception…torture…locked…sealed…corked

Diagram that first sentence: Very, very dreadfully nervous I was and am.

Hyperlinking, cont'd - Unit 7 Summaries: Early Twentieth Century Texas

Most of you did excellent work in hyperlinking key terminology in the Unit 7 Chapter Summaries. (Some of you still need to email me your work.) Now let's enjoy the fruits of our labors. I've aggregated all the links I've received into a Google Document, which you can access here. Read, click, look, and learn. To access the Word version of the table, click here.

Hyperlinking, cont'd - Unit 7 Summaries - The Early 20th Century

Most of you did excellent work in hyperlinking key terminology in the Unit 7 Chapter Summaries. (Some of you still need to email me your work.) Now let's read, click, and learn some early-Twentieth-Century Texas history from them. I've aggregated all the links I've received into one Word document. You can access the document here.

Save the document in your My Documents folder.
Then upload it to your Gaggle Digital Locker.
Now read, click, look, and learn.

Remember that you can click on the hyperlinks in the following way:
1. Hover the cursor over the hyperlinked word(s). It will change to the pointing finger.
2. Hold down Ctrl.
3. Click.

Here's another procedure you might like to try. It involves saving the Word document as a web page.
1. File-->
2. Save As-->
3. Look for "Save as type" at the bottom of the Save As dialogue box.
4. Click on the drop box arrow.
5. Click "Web Page."
6. Close and reopen the document, which is now a web page. You should be able to click on the hyperlinks and go straight to the websites without holding down Ctrl. (In the glorious mystery that is Microsoft Word, sometimes this doesn't work at first, so don't get too frustrated. I've had it not work, closed out the document, come back to it later, and, mysteriously and for no apparent reason, it works. Sheesh.)

Computer Lab - Hyperlinking

1. Log onto Texids. Oops, you already have. Never mind.
2. Look on the left side of this page and click on the website to our textbook, Texas and Texans.
3. Click on Chapter Overviews and go to the Unit 7 chapter assigned you.
4. Copy and paste your Chapter Overview into a Word document.
5. Then attach hyperlinks to key people, terminology, etc. in your Chapter Overview. You do this in the following steps:

• Copy the URL of the website to which you want to link.


• Select the word(s) in the Chapter Summary to which you want to link


• Go to the Word Menu Bar and click the hyperlink symbol (it looks like a chain link- see it up there at the top of this post?; cute, ain't it!) OR go to the Menu Bar and click Insert-Hyperlink OR hold down Ctrl-K.


• Paste the URL of the website to which you want to link.

6. Now, to what kinds of websites might you link? (Thank you very much for asking.) Call out some websites and I'll type them below.

• Primary Sources
• Maps
• Cartoons
• Pictures
• Blogs
• Videos
• Sound/Music
• Articles, like HOTO
• Twitter
• Websites found through search engines (Google, etc.)

Thank you very much for sharing.

Glogs Due Friday

For Friday, 5/8: Glogs on Time Periods are due

1. Be sure you have your Glog finished by classtime on Friday. We won't have class that day, but Glogs are still due. I will log on and grade them online. Most of you are doing great work, so keep it up!

2. Instructions for the Glog Project are here. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

Quiz Wednesday: A Brief Summary of the Gilded Age

For Wed., 5/6: Quiz over "A Brief Summary of the Gilded Age"

1. Study and learn the handout well!!
2. Be sure to learn both the pics and the textual information on the handout.

Emergency Computer Lab Activity--Gilded Age Trails and Railroads

The copiers aren't functioning properly in the workroom, so I'm doing this workaround. Open this document comparing Trails and Railroads in Texas in 1860 and 1900. Then follow the oral directions given you.

Update: This will not be required but can be done for Extra Credit. Simply analyze the two maps by showing/telling things that are obvious, not-so-obvious, and genius-level insights.

Glogster Time Period Assignment

1. Go to Glogster and log in.

2. Here are the instructions for using Glogster, and you can find a video tutorial here (thanks to Norwegian teacher Ann S. Michaelsen).

3. Instructions for Project:

• Describe and illustrate your time period. Make at least two (you may make more) informative, attractive, creative GLOGs. As told you in class, you and your partner may each do a separate but coordinated glog or you may work together on both glogs. (The three-person team will make at least three glogs.)


• Your glog will be viewed by other class members. They will learn about your time period from your glog, so make it interesting and educationally beneficial.


• Write your descriptions in your own words. You will gather information from other sources (textbook, HOTO, websites, etc.), but be sure to translate what you find into your own words.


• Show both what was going on in the United States as a whole and in Texas specifically during your time period. To what extent did Texas accurately reflect what was going on in the USA and to what extent was Texas unique during your time period?


• Have an effective balance of words and pictures.


• You may use songs and videos if you can find them in appropriate formats. (mp3s, embeddable videos, etc.)


• Add url links so students can find other websites on your time period.


• Be creative, clever, etc., but be sure and do it in an intellectual, informative way.

Timeline Annotations Due`

For Wed., 4/29: Annotated Timeline on your chosen time period.

Be sure you have done the following by the time you arrive in class on Wednesday.

1. Color in the time periods on the 11x17 timeline page.
2. Add information on Reconstruction from the Overview packet to the timeline.
3. Add information on your chosen time period from the Overview packet to the timeline.

4. Add information on your chosen time period from our textbook to the timeline. You will show what happened in TEXAS during your time period. Be sure to make a color-code key highlighting the info on Texas. (e.g., orange)

Timeline Test or Quiz on Friday

Click to enlarge.

For Friday, 4/24: Timeline Test or Quiz, 1861-Present

1. Learn the names, dates, and picture I.D.'s found on the timeline, as per instructions given you in class. You can grab a blank practice timeline here.

2. Remember, this will count as either two daily grades or a major test grade, whichever better helps your six weeks average.

3. Remember, too, that for extra credit you may add any of the explanatory information given you when we analyzed the timeline in class.

4. Good luck, timeliners!!

White Violence In Reconstruction Texas

The Freedmen's Bureau tried to protect blacks from violent whites.

For Wed, 4/15: Finish reading the article, "White Violence in Reconstruction Texas."

1. Come prepared to discuss and/or be quizzed over the article.

2. Write "Q" beside anything that was difficult to understand and/or you found interesting and would like to discuss.

3. Put check marks beside anything that ties into what we have learned so far about Reconstruction.

Quiz--Ch. 16 Summary: Reconstruction in Texas

For Thur, 4/9--Quiz over Ch. 16 Summary:

1. Know all the information and illustrations on the Chapter 16 Summary. You can get a copy at the website for Texas and Texans. (See left sidebar.)

2. Be able to identify the 5 military districts set up under Radical Reconstruction and the states within each district.

Quiz: A Brief Summary of Reconstruction

For Tue, 4/7: Quiz over A Brief Summary of Reconstruction

Computer Lab: Reconstruction Role Play

Objective: To defend your group's point of view and policies in a chatted Role Play.

1. The assigned person in each subgroup will click on the following: http://www.tinychat.com/ .
2. That person will then "Click to Create a Chatroom."
3. That person will then give the teacher the URL to the assigned chatroom. The teacher will type it onto a document so all members of the subgroup can do Step #4.
4. All members in the subgroup will then log on to their assigned chatroom.
5. Each member will change to her/his first name & your group's Role in the role play.
6. Follow directions and discuss each question as the teacher brings it up. Argue from the POV of your person in the Role Play. (For example: Mike Freedman, Janey Sue Lincolnite, etc.)
7. At the end of the period, the ASSIGNED PERSON in each group will save the subgroup's chat according to instructions given by the teacher. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT because it will provide me the document I will use to grade you in the CHAT/ROLE PLAY.

2-Map Analysis: Immigration & the Secession Vote

For Fri, 3/27/09: Finish analyzing the maps on immigration into Texas and the vote on secession, 1861.


1. Write at least five sentences for each map. At least two sentences for each map should be "genius level."


2. Write at least three sentences pointing out how the two maps are interrelated (i.e., how something you see on one map relates to something you see on the other map.)

3. You may of course write more for Extra Credit.

Finish Reading Ch. 15 on Civil War/Extra Credit for Discussion Statements

For Thur., 3/26:

1. Finish reading Chapter 15 on the Civil War. Possible pop quiz over Ch. 15.

2. Extra Credit: You may respond in writing to one or more of the statements on the handout we discussed in class, "The Black Box: Do You Agree with These Statements?"

Computer Lab: The Civil War at 3 Points

1. Fill out the analysis section of The Civil War at 3 Key Points map assignment. You can find it here. Put your completed analysis into your Gaggle Digital Locker and Gaggle email it to my Gaggle email account.

Finish Black Box Chart/Study for Ch. 15 Summary Quiz

For Fri, 3/13:

1. Have your CHART over The Black Box ready to turn in. Be sure to color code it by Northern and Southern points of view.

2. QUIZ - Chapter 15 Summary: The Civil War

*Learn the textual material on the handout (words & paragraphs). Be sure to notice superlatives.
**Map: Know the 11 Confederate states & 4 Border slave states.
***Pictures: Be able to identify the two pictures.
****Extra Credit: Learn the bottom map showing the Civil War battles in Texas.

Document Analysis - Causes of Texas Secession

For Mon., 3/9: Write at least 10 sentences analyzing the document given you in class on Wednesday: "A Declaration of the Causes which Impel the State of Texas to Secede from the Federal Union." You can download a copy of the secession document here.

1. Be sure you first highlight every mention of the word slave, slavery, etc. We began this in class Wednesday.

2. At least 5 of your sentences of analysis should be "genius" level, i.e., show deep insight.

3. You may of course write more than 10 for Extra Credit.

Dividing Texas into Five Equal States - Due Friday

For Fri, 3/6/09 - Have the Dividing Texas into Five Equal States assignment ready to turn in when you arrive in class on Friday. You can grab a copy of the instructions here. Add the most famous Texas history event that occurred on March 6 for 10 points of Extra Credit. :D