6th Grade Homework: Causes and Effects of the Road to the US Revolution

Hi 6th graders:

Today in class we finished up looking at the major events on the road to the US Revolution. For homework, I asked you to write down some cause-effect relationships.

Here is an example:
Cause: The French and Indian War cost England a lot of money and put them into deep debt
Effect: England decided to tax their colonies in America to try to lessen their debt.

Hope that helps get you started:
KF

Parent Forum Meeting Times!

Hello all:

This week's Monday Memo has asked me to pass on the following information. I have included all the grade levels here to facilitate any of you who have students in other classes as well as my own (look for your class' color coding 6th, 7th, 8th and 12th grade students and parents.)

From the Monday Memo:
PARENT FORUM MEETINGS: As we did last year, we are scheduling Parent Forum meetings by grade level to meet with the Head of School and Board President and discuss anything that parents may want to bring to their attention--kudos, suggestions, and concerns. Please exercise this option to make your voice heard. Our parents are our partners in education, and working together we can achieve remarkable things with our students. The meetings will be held as follows:

Nursery/Pre-Kindergarten: Monday, March 14, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., Library
Kindergarten: Wednesday, March 16, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., Library
Grade 1: Wednesday, March 16, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., Library
Grade 2: Thursday, March 17, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., Library
Grade 3: Monday, March 21, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., Library
Grade 4: Tuesday, March 22, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., Library
Grade 5: Wednesday, March 23, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., Library
Grade 6: Thursday, March 24, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., Library
Grade 7: Thursday, March 24, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., Library
Grade 8: Friday, March 25, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., Library
Grade 9: Friday, March 25, 2:00 – 3:00 a.m., Library
Grade 10: Monday, March 28, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., Library
Grade 11: Tuesday, March 29, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., Library
Grade 12: Wednesday, March 30, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., Library

I hope you will all make the effort to attend and let your voice be heard!

If you can't make it but still have something to say, please feel free to e-mail me at kfink@discoveryschool.edu.hn, and I will pass it along to the administration.

KF

Hello March! Week of February 28-March 4

Hello all:

6th grade: You will continue looking at the first round of Revolutions in the Americas this week. We will continue learning about the US Revolution, finishing up the information on the Road to Revolution, some of the major documents of the US Revolution, and the War from different people's perspectives. On Friday we will finish up by looking VERY BRIEFLY at the French Revolution.
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7th grade: On Monday we will be going over last Friday's quizzes (MUCH BETTER!!!!) and will start on our Middle East unit. Each student will be researching a different ancient kingdom or empire that at one time controlled the Middle East. We will spend most of the week researching in the computer lab.
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8th grade: We continue with the Middle Ages...Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we will look at the Black Plague using an information packet and some primary sources, and we will finish the week with information on the rise of the power of the kings (which means the loss of power for the lords)
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12th grade: We only have one class this week, and you will have the opportunity to see how your editing has helped the 5th graders redo their persuasive essays when you edit their final drafts.
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Hope you had a great weekend! Make this week a great one! :)

KF

Senior Blog Post: Due TUESDAY, March 1

Hi Seniors:

Sorry...I am bad at this...

Hmm, blog post. I forgot my really great idea from class, but I guess we'll go with this one:

Did you see any of the Oscar movies, and do you agree with the winners? Who was the best-dressed attendee?

Thanks for being patient and reminding me to do this. :)

KF

8th Grade: Guild Websites

Hi 8th graders:

Here are some links to get you started on the guilds assignment:
http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/medieval-london-guilds.htm (Guild list)
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~gbetcher/373/guilds.htm (Excellent overview put out by IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY!! :)
http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/ARTH200/artist/guilds.html (Illustrated overview of guild history)
http://elbardic.com/library/articles/guilds.html (A short history of guilds)
http://www.medieval-spell.com/Medieval-Guilds.html (Some history, some information about laws affecting guilds)
http://www.virtualworldlets.net/Papers/Hosted/WomenMed.php (Information on Women's roles in guilds)
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07066c.htm (Information about guilds in different countries)
http://www.luckymojo.com/patronsaints.html (Good information on what Saints were considered for each occupation)

Have fun! Be sure to base your information on FACTS and not just fill in whatever you think is best...take time with this assignment, READ (it won't kill you, I promise!)

KF

Four-Day Week #2: February 22-25

Hello all:

I hope you had a relaxing and peaceful weekend, and are ready to hit it hard this short week!

6th grade: Don't forget your Pocahontas paper and the "essay" part of your test are due tomorrow!! We are going to start looking at revolutions this week...staring with fights in the American colonies, and then look at the things that led up to the US Revolutionary War (or, as they call it in Great Britain, the War for American Independence)
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7th grade: We will be winding down our unit on Japan by looking at Feudalism in Japan and the Tokugawa dynasty. We will review on Thursday and have our quiz on Friday!!!
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8th grade: Are you tired of the Middle Ages yet? I hope not, because we still have a few weeks to go...next week we will look at the effects of the crusades and the rise of towns. (Hint: they go together). We will also look at and create a guild...
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Seniors: Hope you enjoyed your trip, and are refreshed and ready to continue working hard on the yearbook...remember, your writing assignment deadline is creeping ever closer...be sure to keep in contact with your classes/events. You may submit your copy as soon as you finish it...
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Enjoy your last few hours of freedom...I mean, weekend!

KF

100th Post: Senior Blog Post due WEDNESDAY, February 23

Hi Seniors:

Hope you are having a safe, responsible, and even a little bit fun trip this weekend.

For your blog post (due WEDNESDAY) I would like you to upload a picture from your vacation taken using the RULE OF THIRDS!

Then explain what the picture is of and what you did to make sure you were adhering to the rule.

Here are some examples:









<-Rule of Thirds






Not so much ->









See you on Thursday!
KF

6th Grade: Reminders

Hi again 6th grade:

Two reminders--
FIRST: Don't forget to BB, e-mail, or bring me a note tomorrow officially stating whether or not you will be going with us to Copán. If I don't have some sort of answer by the end of tomorrow I will assume you are not going.

SECOND: Don't forget the mandatory re-do on the Pocahontas paper...I know you can do better than what you turned in, and I know you know it too. The re-do is due TUESDAY!! No exceptions!!! (Use your rubric and this blog post to make sure you do the paper correctly this time!)

Have a nice weekend!
KF

7th Grade: Japanese Influences Questions

7th grade:
Here are the questions from yesterday's assignment (due tomorrow)

1. List and describe 4 ways Korea influenced Japan
2. List and describe 6 ways China influenced Japan
3. Did the Japanese want to be influenced? Explain using SPECIFICS!!
4. Define "Selective Borrowing".
5. List and explain at least 3 examples of Japanese Selective Borrowing.


See you tomorrow!! 1 more day to a long weekend! Sprint to the finish!

KF

Short Week #1: February 14-18

Hello everyone:

Happy Valentine's Day on Monday!! I hope if you celebrate the day it's all you could dream of, and if you don't, that you get plenty of fun laughing at everyone who does ;)

Next week will be short, sweet, but still to the point!

6th grade: Your Pocahontas papers seemed to be shaping up nicely today...don't forget they are due on Monday! After you hand them in on Monday and on Tuesday we will start looking at the Columbian Exchange (any guesses who that might be named after?) and the Triangular Trade systems that came along with colonization. Wednesday we will play a Colonies review game, and Thursday you will have your Colonization Quiz. Please remember that notes are ALWAYS allowed on my quizzes, so please take advantage of that!

ALSO: Don't forget the Copán Trip Meeting, also on Monday at 3:15 in my classroom! It is very important that both you and your parents attend, even if they are not going on the trip.
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7th grade: Next week we will continue looking at Ancient Japan, focusing on the religions found there and how Japan changed when the Chinese and Koreans came to play. We will also look at some of the arts that became popular in Ancient Japan.
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8th grade: Next week we will travel outside Europe for the first time since January (haha), when we go on the Crusades!! We will learn all about how to become a Knight, interview for a position on the King's fighting forces, and look at the causes and (beginning of the) effects of the Crusades. Believe it or not, we only have 5 weeks left to learn about the Middle Ages!!
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Communications: Anybody besides me feel like we need to get cracking on the Yearbook? We will spend our ONE class this week focusing on getting the writing part of the book out of the way...so bring your interview notes, please!!
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I hope you all have an excellent weekend!

KF

6th Grade Pocahontas Links

Hi 6th Graders:

For the next 2 days you will be doing research on the REAL history behind the Disney movie "Pocahontas". Then, on Friday, you will write a one-page paper in which you will:

1) Say whether you think the movie "Pocahontas" was historically accurate or not
2) Give SPECIFIC REASONS (from the movie AND your research) that explain why you feel that way:

-> You must use information about at least 2 people from the movie and information about at least 2 other things you took notes on. Use the links below and/or a Google search to research this topic (hint: I would start with the links, because they will make your work a lot less...) <-

Click on the links below to learn more about the subjects you took notes on during the movie! Use that information to write your "Pocahontas" paper!!

Links about Pocahontas and the accuracy of the movie:
The Real Pocahontas
About Pocahontas
Famous People: Pocahontas
The Pocahontas Myth
Pocahontas Movie Review
Pocahontas Movie Review 2
Pocahontas: Historically Inaccurate
Disney's Pocahontas

Links pertaining to some of the questions you had on your notes:
John Smith and Pocahontas' Relationship, Kocoum
A Brief History of the Jamestown Settlement
Sunflowers
The Virginia Company
Native Americans and Dreams
Did Governor Ratcliffe really exist?
History of the Pug (the dog Percy's breed was Pug)
History of the Compass
Powhatan
Did Pocahontas save John Smith?

-> PLEASE NOTE: An annotated works cited page is REQUIRED for me to grade this paper. Annotation means that you have to explain why
the website you used was good or helpful for you.<-

Here is an example of an annotated works cited:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114148/
This website was helpful to me in writing my paper because it contained a short explanation of what happened in the movie, which helped me remember what the movie was about. It was also helpful because it helped me spell the names of the characters correctly.

Doing this annotation will help you in 2 ways:

First of all, it will help you get used to creating works cited pages
Secondly, it will help you evaluate, or think about, why some websites are good and some are not very good. (This is a very important skill for you to learn!)

THIS PAPER IS DUE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14!

If you have any questions about annotation or the paper, please let me know! :)
KF

8th Grade: Moors/Catholics Websites

Hey 8th graders:


Just in case you need them, here are the websites about the Moors:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_contributions_to_Medieval_Europe

http://www.africawithin.com/black_history/overview_chapter18.html

http://www.suite101.com/content/the-moorish-legacy-in-spain-a211081

http://hubpages.com/hub/Moors-in-Spain-A-Height-of-a-Muslim-Nation

(Remember you were supposed to take notes on the Muslim impacts on Education and other things, then rate the top 10 Impacts (and education had to be one of them) and explain why you rated them that way.)

And the Catholics:

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/middleages.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_university

http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Ch-Co/Convent-Schools-Cathedral-Schools.html

**For the first one, scroll down until you see Education. It ends with the map.

(Remember you were supposed to answer the questions •Why were the schools started •How were the school and the school day organized •What was studied •How did the schools change over time. Finally, you were supposed to evaluate the Medieval European education system with your current system of education, and say which was better and why)

Enjoy, e-mail with questions!
KF

6th Grade: Copán Trip Meeting

Hello 6th Graders and Parents:

Thank you so much for all your interest in our 2011 Copán Trip!

I wanted to let you know we will be having an informational meeting to discuss trip costs, logistics, and other things on

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14
at
3:15
in
Room #4 (my room)

Please plan to attend this important meeting!

If you can't make it, or have questions or concerns, please e-mail me at kfink@discoveryschool.edu.hn.

See you Monday!
KF

8th Grade: Medieval Church Websites

Hey 8th Graders:

Here are the websites I printed off for you in class today:

http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/fief/higod.html

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/church.html

KF

Mrs. Fink's Classroom Work: Week of February 7-11

Hello again, everyone!

Next week will be our last full (5-day) week for a while... :) I have to say, with all the snow in the Midwest this pas week, I've been quite nostalgic for home...but enjoying our gorgeous Honduras weather at the same time!

Here's what you can look forward to:

6th grade: We are going to watch Disney's "Pocahontas" next week...but it won't be all fun and no work, because you are going to analyze it while you watch, and take some notes on what you think is true and false about the movie. After that we will use the Internet to research your ideas and will write a paper about how historically accurate the movie was.
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7th grade: We will finish looking at our final Chinese Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, on Monday, review Tuesday, and you will have your Ancient China quiz on Wednesday. Thursday we will look at the geography of Japan and Korea, and on Friday will look at what was like in Early Japanese society.
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8th grade: Next week we will continue our study of the Middle Ages by looking at the Catholic Church and how influential it was on the people of the times. We will also look at the other religious groups in Europe at the time, the Muslims and the Jews.
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Seniors: We will continue to look at television news next week, and work on your group's television news story. We will also continue working on the yearbook...time is ticking slowly away!
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Good luck to everyone participating in the Spelling Bee this weekend, and GO STEELERS!!!

KF

Senior Blog Post: Due Monday, Feburary 7

Hi Seniors:

I know you will be busy helping out with the Spelling Bee this weekend, so I'll go easy on you for this week's blog post:

What is the hardest word you've ever had to spell (Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious doesn't count). What does it mean?

(if you've never had to spell a hard word look one up :)

Have a great weekend!

Go Steelers!

KF

8th Grade: Medieval Laws Webquest

Hi 8th Graders:

In order to help you understand the importance of inheritance laws, arranged marriages, dowries, and alliances in Medieval Times, I would like you to complete this Medieval Laws Webquest!

Directions:
Go to https://www.livetext.com/
Click on the button at the top that says "Visitor's Pass"
Enter this code in the box: FD8B50EE
Click on the link for the Medieval Laws Webquest
Follow the directions and use your worksheet to complete the activities.

Don't worry, you will have 2 days in class to complete this activity.
The worksheet and culminating assignment will be due MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7

Enjoy!
KF