Using Emoticons to Show Understanding of the Spanish Entry Into Tenochtitlán

The Aztec people used glyphs to communicate. (Here is a great page that describes their writing system.) Why then would it not be appropriate for students to learn about the process of writing about an event in their history using our own modern glyphs, emoticons?

Today I will be reading experts of the excellent article Imperial City of the Aztecs: Mexico-Tenochtitlan by Inga Clendinnen to my students. (BTW if you don't know about Common-Place you definitely need to.) In it she describes Bernal Diaz del Castillo's astonishment at the magnificent of the Aztec capital city, Tenochtitlán. If you still have any misconceptions of the ability of the people in the America's abilities to create cities you will also be amazed.

The students will be place themselves in del Castillo's boots and write his story as if it were their own. Then they will transfer that story into emoticons. Students with phones or tablets can write them there and send them to me. Those without will do as the Aztecs did, write them by hand.

There is a myriad of things I am hoping my students learn. The students will have the opportunity to internalize the amazement of del Castillo. They will have the opportunity to use glyphs to write a story and reflect on the process of using pictures to convey specific meaning. They will be exposed to the idea of using emoticons in their daily interactions as well, if they aren't already doing so. There is also the bonus of students connecting today's technology with history, and for some of my Hispanic students it is really their history.

Classroom Expectations Voting 2014-15 School Year

Video Hangout in Ferguson

Russian Nesting Dolls Project

Today in 7th grade we are creating Russian nesting dolls (Matryoshka). The students get to choose the subjects and I have seen some amazingly creative choices. While many of the students have used popular characters such as superheroes, Disney characters, and sports teams others have created their own 'line'.

The next step will come later when they reflect on their choice for subject matter. We will do this later in the week and hopefully will have a few students record their reflections on video to share here. 

Kiva Loan Update

Only a couple months from being able to make another loan! How cool is that?

Skyping with Brayden's Grandmother from England

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We were fortunate to have a 20 minute Skype call with Brayden's grandmother today. She shared about the cultural similarities and differences between us and the United Kingdom. 

Making Explorer Board Games

Fun in St. Louis

I just returned from attending two teaching/learning conferences in St. Louis. While I was there I took the time to do some personal learning and sightseeing. This is a .gif that I took from the top of the arch. My Galaxy Note 3 phone's camera app allows me to make them really easily. How cool is that?

Snow Day Survey

This survey is intended only for staff at Noel Elementary School. 

NOVA: The Great Incan Rebellion

Today we are watching Great Inca Rebellion. The students are observation a fascinating video that combines archaeology with forensic science and historical records to examine how what we know about the battle for Lima doesn't fit the Spanish accounts.

Atlantic South America: Traditional Music

As we learn about the countries of the Andes Mountains we will be listening to music from those cultures. Here is a short video of a concert we will view:

Here is the Spotify playlist we will be listening to during the unit.

Critique of the Painting Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze

NPR Morning Edition October 28, 2002. This NPR program discusses the painting Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze. We are listening to this after we read the Introduction to Washington's Crossing by David Hackett Fischer.

Guest Speaker in Geography

The students in seventh grade are studying Mexico in geography. Today Mr. Layne brought in a guest speaker, Mrs Salas, to speak on her experiences growing up in Mexico. She shared a folk tale and talked about how as a child she had to carry water from a local creek to her home so they had water. 

World Geography Games

World Geography Games is a website that uses maps to gameify learning places. It is a pretty basic site and it focuses specifically on factual knowledge but if you like learning geography you might like to play this.

Why Do Some Become Famous While Others Do Not?

This essential question is the guide for this lesson. The students will be examining the role of Paul Revere and Joseph Warren from Revere's famous ride to the Battle of Bunker Hill. We will look at what Paul Revere and Joseph Warren contributed to these famous events. 

Here are the links to the media we will use in class along with pages 134-135 in our textbook.

Andy Griffith Lexington and Concord http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3boDX-3iRJg

Lexington and Concord Map http://www.paulreverehouse.org/ride/virtual.html

‘Real’ Story of Paul Revere http://www.paulreverehouse.org/ride/real.html

Longfellow’s Midnight Ride of Paul Revere http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4hUMQG3MI8

Paul Revere's Ride http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Revere's_Ride

The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_death_of_general_warren_at_the_battle_of_bunker_hill.jpg

Joseph Warren http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Warren

Ode to Josesph Warren http://books.google.com/books?id=3r-ClEcWHsQC&pg=PA217&

Ode http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ode

After learning the stories of Revere and Warren the students will write an ode to Dr. Warren using the following rhyme scheme: ABABCDECDE

Foam Cup Printing

Here is a video of Jose explaining how he created his foam cup print. We created these in conjunction with Paul Revere's etching of the Boston Massacre. The students created a print to represent the massacre from the Loyalist point of view. 

Paul Revere and the Boston Massacre

Paul Revere's etching of the Boston Massacre shows a definite bias against the soldiers. Our goal today is to take the incident and create a print from the Loyalist point of view. 

Road to the Revolution 1763-1775

Here is the presentation over the events that led to the creation of the Declaration of Independence. 

The essential question is: What events led to the creation of the Declaration of Independence. 

The first activity is to create a timeline for the events. 

7th Grade Benchmark #1

STUCO Candidates Speeches 2013

Presidential Candidates' Speeches

Vice Presidential Candidates' Speeches

Treasurer Candidates' Speeches

Secretary Candidates' Speeches 

Representative Candidates' Speeches