Week of 4/16 - 4/20

This week in Social Studies, students are continuing their work on the Civilizations of the Americas project.  Last week, each student group chose/was assigned a particular civilization or topic on which to focus: Maya, Aztec, Inca, or the Achievements of all three civilizations, then began working on the reading notes associated with that chapter.  Students will be finishing those reading notes this week, as well as beginning Vocabulary C-notes on their assigned chapter.  Lastly, at the end of the week, each student will choose a topic within the chapter to focus on (we're calling it the "Focus Topic").  Students will become an expert on one aspect of their civilization - starting with C-Notes from the textbook.

Here is a breakdown of the week:

• Monday
• Continue Reading Notes
• Tuesday
• Finish Reading notes (due Friday 4/20)
• Check Answers
• Wednesday
• Vocabulary C-Notes (10 - 12 words, definitions, sentence & picture)
• Thursday
• Finish Vocab C-Notes (don't forget a summary!)
• Due Monday 4/23
• Friday
• Mini-tutorial: How to take notes from a textbook
• Focus Topic C-Notes

Week of 4/9 - 4/13

This week in Social Studies, after a little more overview of the three civilizations of Maya, Aztec and Inca, student groups will be selecting one topic to focus on and begin reading the chapter in the textbook on that topic.  The assignment will be to read the assigned chapter(s) and complete the reading notes.  We will be working on reading and notes this week and next, so there will be no new homework this week.

Here is the weekly breakdown:

• Monday
• BrainPOP Videos - Maya, Aztec & Inca
• Tuesday
• Kahoot Review
• Folder Cleanout
• Wednesday
• Choose Topics, Roles, Discuss Project
• Begin Reading Chapter & Reading Notes
• Thursday
• Continue Assigned Chapter & Reading Notes
• Friday - NO SCHOOL

Week of 4/2 - 4/6

This week in social studies, we are beginning study in a new area of the world - Central and South America!  We will be focusing our study on three main civilizations that dominated these areas during the middle ages time period: the Maya, Inca and Aztec Civilizations. 

This week, we are starting off our studies with a geography challenge, where students will become familiar with the physical and geographical features of the area, and how the geography affected the people who lived there.  Then, we will get an overview of the three civilizations with a video (paired with questions, of course!).  Lastly, we will finish off the week with a Kahoot to get everyone excited about the topic.

Here is a breakdown of the week:

• Monday - Tuesday
• Civilizations of the Americas Geography Challenge (due Friday)
• Wednesday - Thursday
• Maya, Inca, Aztec Video & Questions (Click here for link to video)
• Friday
• Finish Video (if necessary)
• Kahoot: Maya, Aztec, Inca

Week of 3/12 - 3/14

During this short week in social studies, we have a very simple goal: Read Chapter 15 and answer the questions in the Reading Notes about the chapter.  Chapter 15 is all about West Africa's Cultural Legacies.  It covers written and oral traditions, music, and visual arts.  It also discusses how these cultural achievements are still affecting and influencing our world today.  In class, we will also be watching several videos to help with our understanding of these concepts.  Please feel free to email to request the links to the videos we watched in class.

Here is a breakdown of the week:

• Monday - 15.1 - 15.2
• Tuesday 15.3
• Wednesday 15.4-15.5

Anything not finished in class should be finished at home for homework over the long weekend, due Monday.  Note: DO NOT worry about the middle page titled: Plot Summary and Notes on the story of Sundjata.  
 

Week of 3/5 - 3/9

Our second trimester is nearly over!  There is no school on Friday of this week, so all LATE/MISSING WORK from trimester 2 needs to be turned in by Thursday 3/8.  Wednesday March 14th is the last day of the trimester.

This week in social studies, we will be finishing up our last project of the trimester - West African Children's Book Project.  We will work on these in class on Monday and Tuesday, and they will be due Thursday 3/8.  This will be the last major graded item for the Trimester 2 Gradebook. 

Next, we will be starting a new chapter on West Africa - Ch. 15: The Cultural Legacy of West Africa.  In this chapter, students will learn about the written and oral traditions, as well as the music and visual arts of the West African people.  We'll begin the chapter this week with vocabulary C-Notes.

Here is a breakdown of the week:

• Monday - Tuesday
• FINISH Children's Book Project
• Final project due Thursday 3/8
• Wednesday
• Use Ch. 15 Vocab Quizlet to set up C-Notes
• Write words and definitions
• Thursday
• Finish C-Notes
• Sentences, Pictures, and Summary
• Notes due Monday 3/12 (First assignment of Trimester 3
• Friday - NO SCHOOL

Week of 2/26 - 3/2

In this full five-day week of Social Studies, we will be working to wrap up our studies of Chapter 12, on the Early Societies of West Africa.  To start the week, we will review the chapter with a study guide, then we will have our final test on Wednesday. 

At the end of the week, students will work on an artistic project that will show how small communities of families in West Africa developed into great kingdoms.  They will create small picture books that explain (in terms a 3rd grader can understand) why and how some communities grew and developed.

Here is a breakdown of the week's agenda:

• Monday 2/26
• Ch. 12 Study Guide
• Tuesday 2/27
• Finish Ch. 12 Study Guide
• Practice Vocabulary (Quizlet)
• Some students may begin children's book project
• Wednesday 2/28
• Ch. 12 Final Test
• Study Guide due today
• Thursday 3/1
• Everyone begin work on Children's Book Project
• Finish Rough Draft, if not done already (Rough draft is Processing 12 in reading notes - we actually started this last week and was due on Monday)
• Begin Final Draft - use grading rubric as guide while working
• Friday 3/2
• Continue work on Children's Book Project

Week of 2/20 - 2/22

This short week in social studies, we will be finishing the chapter 12 reading notes, then do a little bit of review.  Here is the breakdown for the week, as I see it...

• Monday - NO SCHOOL
• Tuesday
• Ch. 12 Reading Notes: 12.4 - 12.5
• Wednesday
• Ch. 12 Processing
• Thursday
• Ch. 12 Kahoot Review
• Friday - NO SCHOOL