Semester One: Post Mortem

Well...here I am...on Christmas break and semester one is OVER! Exams have been given, final comments for report cards (except two classes) are finished and two weeks of lessons in January are done.

Today's post is going to be a post-mortem of sorts.  If you are not familiar with a post-mortem it is when you look at something after it has happened to figure out what went well and what didn't go well.  Medically, it's like an autopsy.  So, what went well in semester one and what didn't go well in semester one.  If something went well, can I duplicate it in semester two?  If something did not go well, can I avoid it in semester 2?  So here goes....


What didn't go well:

1. I lost TWO flash drives.  This was a major stressor for me.  The first one was lost during teacher work week and the other was lost sometime later in the second nine-weeks.  My husband tried to fix the problem by giving me a flash drive attached to my lanyard.  This did not work as I lost that flash drive.  My fix: use google docs or dropbox.

2. Missing one week of school due to family deaths.  Yes, I said deaths.  My dear grandmother passed after an illness in October.  The morning of her funeral we found out that my husband's grandfather had passed.  As fellow teachers can attest, you can leave the most fabulous plans but get a cruddy sub and nothing goes as planned.  I had five different subs for those five different days.  My fix: hope no one dies until summer break ( a long time from now).

What could have gone better (okay- adding another category):

1. My Ancient Greece and Rome knowledge.  What? You may ask: you don't know anything about Ancient Greece or Rome?  And I would say: I do now!  During my time at Roanoke College I took Western Civ I & II but then focused my history classes on three areas: Africa, Medieval/Renaissance Italy and Modern Asia.  So....I would like to expand my knowledge for both of these areas.

What went well:

1. Pass rates.  I have 98 students who are passing World History I. However, I have one student that is totally failing.  I have offered tutoring, help with test corrections and contacted howe with little change.  As for the my quarterly assessments and exams: both of those have pass rates in the 90s.

2. Lessons.  I think, for the most part, my lessons are well developed and varied.  I am hoping to keep this momentum up and keep it through the end of the school year.  



I hope I've inspired you to conduct your own post-mortem.

Happy Teaching!
C

Romulus and Remus Mythology Comic

We are quickly approaching the end of our Rome unit!  We have been discussing Roman mythology and the beginnings of Christianity this week.  On Monday, I read the students two myths.  Both of them are about Romulus and Remus.  We talked about how mythology offers explanations of life events or natural phenomena.  Romulus and Remus are brothers and Romulus was the first king of Rome.

The cover of the book I read
to my students.  

This is the myth that explains how Romulus and Remus were born.  

The story about the founding of Rome.  

Students were encouraged to take notes as I read.  After I finished reading the students created a comic strip that contains a minimum of six story cells.  I also required that students include dialogue and color in each of the cells.  

Student's work 

One comic

I think most of the students enjoyed "story time".  They did a good job with their comic creations.  

Happy Teaching!

C 

Aqueduct Construction

We have been busy this week of Thanksgiving learning about Roman contributions.  We discussed how arches, not native to Rome, were used to produce structures that could hold more weight and produce buildings with huge indoor spaces.

On Monday, we watched the Khan Academy video about the Pantheon.   The students were encouraged to take notes as I stopped it and discussed.  We discussed that a structure like the Pantheon would have been impossible to make with Greek post and lintel construction.  The video can be found here.

On Wednesday, I had the students divide into groups of two or three.  I gave them six cups, a sheet of construction paper, and scissors.  They had the class period to make their "working" aqueduct.  The requirements were the aqueducts had to have arches, no adhesive and a small glue cap had  to run down the aqueduct.  The only grading guidelines I gave had to do with behavior.  If I had to speak to a student about their behavior or redirect a student I would deduct 5 points per discussion.  I only had to take points away from three students.  Overall it was a great lesson!

Here are some pictures:

Here is a video of one of my favorites!

I got this idea from this online lesson.

Happy Teaching!

C

Greek Hoplite Demo

One of my colleagues is quite the military historian.  He invited me, and the other World History teacher, to his room for a hoplite demonstration.  If you are not familiar with a hoplite they were the foot soldier of the Greek city-state army.  For more information click here.

Students drew straws and the short straw drawer was the "winner".  Three of the four winners were from my class!

Here is first period's student in the red tunic, his long Spartan hair and his Corinthian helmet.  

Close up of the helmet. 

Ready for battle!  

Wouldn't want to see the business end of that spear!  

Of course I love talking about history but I double love it when the kids get to participate in an reenactment.  

Happy Teaching!

C

Greek Mythology Advertisements

It has been a while.  I missed a week of school as a result of two grandparent deaths.  My grandmother passed at the end of October and dear husband's grandfather passed a few days later in early November.  

Today's post is the product of our Greek mythology discussion.  The SOL lists 6 Greek mythological gods and goddesses.  We discussed the and took notes.  Then I had the students pick one of the six and come up with a fictional product that somehow correlates to the deity they chose.  In addition to the company the student had to come up with a catch phrase or motto.  

 

Artemis was chosen for this bow and arrow store since she is the goddess of the hunt.  

Zeus was chosen for this towing company because he was known for throwing lightning bolts.  Lightning bolts
are thought to be quick; therefore, the towing company is quick like lightning!    

Hera is the goddess of women and marriage.  This student chose Hera to be the  name for her wedding dress company.  Also, the "dress(es are) fit for a Queen".  Nice!   

Apollo is the god of the sun and was chosen to represent these microwaves.  

Apollo was chosen for this sunscreen.  

Aphrodite is the goddess of love.  This student chose Aphrodite and made up an online dating site.

There were many other examples.  They were so good about a third of the advertisements earned spots in the hallway beside my door!  

Happy Teaching!

C 

CPS Clickers

I love my CPS clickers and I want to tell you why.  

First, each student has one and they stay in my room.  Each student has a clicker that corresponds to their number in the gradebook.

My class set of CPS Clickers.

Second, I love the data and information CPS gives me.

Third, I use them most test reviews.  I read questions and if students answer with 100% accuracy they get a piece of candy.

"What do you know?"

Fourth, I use them for quizzes.  My county changed their grading policy.  Grades fall into two categories: summative and formative.  Summative means the students demonstrate what they know.  The clickers come in super handy here.  The CPS program allows me to type questions for the students and I give them the summative assignment (and it's paperless!).  After the questions the students put their clickers back and then we go over the answers.  I run a quick report and then the kids have a summative grade.  I call these "What do you know?".

I ordered a large calculator caddy and the clickers fit perfectly in there!

Here is the link for them: http://www.einstruction.com/insight-360-clickers

Did I mention I love my clickers?

Happy Teaching!
C

Ancient China Review

Today was a jumble of emotions.  First, I have to give props to my homebase for being very observant.  My grandmother is on her final journey to her heavenly home.  I went to be with her last night and got home at mid-night (well past my bedtime) and my emotions are a mess.  Before instruction began one of my homebase students noticed that I was off and asked.  I shared my story (without crying).  They were so sweet and understanding.  

According to my lesson, I was going to review using the CPS clickers and award candy for those questions that had 100% correct answers.  However, I was still crying when I got to school this morning.  I knew that my plans had to change.

Here is most of fourth period.  Notice the Fu Manchu moustache.  They were reviewing Taoism.

 I went to my teacher across the hall for a suggestion.  She suggested that I break the chapter into topics and then have them break into that many groups.  Within the group they could create one of many review activities: a skit, riddles, jokes, advertisement, or an interview.  I gave them about 20 minutes and butcher paper, markers, scissors, and tape.  I was so impressed with their output!  I had songs about China's geography, a wrap about Taoism, an interview about Taoism and Confucianism, riddles about the Silk Road and China's geography, maps, advertisements for the Great Wall and a few others.  I was so proud of them!

Here is another group.  Notice the Great Wall behind them?  The Mongols breached the wall and destroyed it.  

This is the Silk Road group decorating their "silk".

I hung the output in the hallway.  

Here are some output from first and second.  By the end of the day I had fourteen or fifteen posters hanging in the hall.

Happy Teaching!

C