This past week, students engaged in a competition of RISK.  This simulation is something students really enjoy every year and this year was no different.  Students were separated into 6-8 different groups where 4-5 students competed against each other in RISK.  The objective?  Conquer as many territories as possible before class ends, learn the names of classmates, build relationships and build communication skills with one another outside of the digital realm.  The reward?  Better relationships with peers, strategy development, the realization that war can often come down to luck (the dice in the game are a reflection of that) and a pardoning of having to memorize The Gettysburg Address in Term 4.  Each class had ONE winner (whoever had the most territories in the class) and that person was granted immunity from The Gettysburg Address.  I was very impressed with the students this past week and their all-in commitment to playing and competing with respect for themselves and others.  The reflection the following class period centered on the following questions:

• What strategy, if any, did you use while playing RISK?  Did it work? Why or why not?
• What were some strategies that you could have used?
  
• Why did you choose to attack someone else in the game?  (*cause of war)
  
• How generous were the dice to you in the simulation? (*effects of war)
• What advantages AND/OR disadvantages did you have throughout the simulation? (*causes and effects of war)
• Did you end up forming an alliance with anyone to help you out?  Did it work? Why or why not?

The simulation went exceptionally well as did our reflection!  We will play this game again on December 17th and 18th as we wrap up the American Revolutionary War.  The next time we play, however, we will focus on specific MISSIONS in the game to determine our victor. 

This past week we participated in an activity involving M&M's (or skittles) and we got to participate in a simulation involving taxes.  During the simulations across 7 classes times 40 students per class, the most common phrase I heard:  THAT'S.  NOT.  FAIR.  Oh how beautiful that was to my ears.  We are studying various events leading up to the American Revolutionary War.  Perhaps the number one cause of the American Revolutionary War was, in fact, TAXES.  One tax after the next after the next after the next.  Those in the America's were FURIOUS.  Taxation without representation IS unfair.  Talk to your kids about the simulation and the frustration they may have felt and what it was like for them to pay taxes by way of candy.  I posed the question to them that if they had say in the taxes presented and the amounts they had to pay, would they have been okay with paying them.  Without fail, they all said yes.  Taxation with representation is a concept they could wrap their minds around and appreciate.  Taxation without representation is a concept, thankfully, they did NOT want or desire.  This simulation is one of my favorites each year because it truly dawns on students that we must be vigilant in watching our government and how they tax, what they tax and where the tax is going.  

As shared in an e-mail sent out this past week, students were asked who their top 3 heroes are and why.  The most common responses, IN ORDER, were:

​1. My Dad
2. My Mom
3. My Grandpa OR My sibling tied

Too awesome!  Where I anticipated seeing responses relating to celebrities or athletes based on conversations I hear in school, I was pleasantly surprised by the responses given by students.  Parents:  You ARE heroes.  Your kids are watching you carefully and love you deeply.  Keep it up!

In class this week, we also did an activity simulating TAXES.  As we learned about the French and Indian War, we learned that a major cause of the American Revolutionary War was, in large part, caused by this French and Indian War.  A major effect of the French and Indian War was TAXES.  The king demanded the colonists to pay for the war through a series of UNFAIR taxes.  Using M&M's or Skittles, students were asked to pay a series of taxes to the king, all of which were considered UNFAIR by students (which is true).  Students had no say in the taxes and zero representation to talk to the king about the unfair taxes.  All of this is building up to learning about the colonial taxes and how they contributed to the American Revolutionary War.  

As we wrapped up Term 1, we began learning about the 13 colonies and the reasons each were founded.  The assignment we completed in class  can be downloaded below or under Unit 2.  Students do NOT need to watch the videos to fill in this handout.  If they move to the end of the video the information will be provided there.  Students need to color code the assignment to reflect the 3 regions of the colonies:  New England, Middle and Southern.  We discussed the colonies in class in lieu of watching the videos.  Students were expected, however, to copy down the information while presented on the screen.  

This past week we wrapped up Unit 1 with learning about the Columbian Exchange and identifying some of the most important exchanges that have had, are having or will have on the world.  We then spent a class period working on our Unit 1 Essays.  We also began to look at Jamestown and a few of the heroes from Jamestown, including Pocahontas, John Smith and Bartholomew Gosnold.  

This past week we spent more time working on our Annotated Bibliographies and then launched into the Columbian Exchange and Transatlantic Slave Trade.  The Central Historical Question we evaluated was as follows:  How did people experience the Middle Passage?  We looked at five different historical documents (primary and secondary sources) and gained a greater understanding of what took place on the ships.  We then linked the lesson from the past to the present and slightly changed the central question to read as follows:  How are students today experiencing the middle passage of life?  Students were able to read responses from students of the last six years and see how they are experiencing this middle passage of life.  We also viewed the following video as we prepared to study the Middle Passage.  

This past week we were able to move into the new school and begin connecting!!!  This has been the highlight of the week!  Interacting with my classes and getting to feel of the culture of each class and how to gear my teaching towards the culture of each class has been awesome.  I've missed it and grateful to have that interaction with these incredible students.  One of the best ways I am able to connect with my students every year is through the power of stories.  When I tell stories in class, there is always a purpose and it will always connect with what we will learn over the span of 3-5 lessons.  It is intentional and purposeful.  Harvard University published a great article outlining the power of stories in the academic setting (see link below).  As we move forward into weeks 6 & 7, we will be learning about European Exploration and the reasons for it (God, Gold, Glory and Greed), the Slave Trade and the Columbian Exchange.  The stories I tell in class correlate with and reenforce what these lessons will teach us.  As we wrap up our first unit on Monday & Tuesday of next week (September 30th and October 1st), students will be presented with a menu of FIVE (5) essay options that they can do for their Unit 1 Final.  Students will only select ONE (1) of the essays to do and it will be entirely up to them as to which one they do.  This, too, is intentional and the power of student choice in the classroom has been well studied and documented.  Enjoy the readings below : )

This past week, students were expected to get themselves caught up in class.  Like you, I was sad to learn we would not be able to access the building.  I was also sad not to be able to give our lesson on 9/11.  In lieu of that lesson, I had the honor and opportunity to do a run with the Westlake Lacrosse team on 9/11 to honor those who died and to help bring a greater unity to our community.  Click the button below to read the write up on our HONOR Run.

As we've wrapped up our Open Lab and get to move into the school next week, we've managed to complete an incredible feat!  Over 1,300 assignments were submitted!  This past week, students learned more about indigenous peoples in North America and about two Ancient Civilizations in Mesoamerica:  The Maya and Aztec.  Next week, we hit the ground running wherein we will learn about 9/11 and do an in class activity to practice our historical thinking skills through an in class assignment referred to as "The Lunchroom Fight."  I'm excited to meet all of you next week!