February 2nd - Narrowing a Research Topic & Recording Resources & Evidence

Welcome:

As you watch the BBC video clip consider: What does science teach us about learning something new?

Purpose:

• Select a research topic & draft a research question - Use the Finding a Research Topic to start or go to your G-Drive and continue. 
• Record evidence and sources - Once you have a research topic, begin conducting research. Use the database resources to guide your search. Record evidence and sources on your Outline Source Document. 

Homework:

Continue to gather resources and evidence to answer your research question. 

January 30th - DBQ: Should we celebrate the Voyage of Zheng He?

Welcome:

Navigate to Learning and the Adolescent Mind resources section and play The Towers of Hanoi : http://www.learningandtheadolescentmind.org/resources_02_towers.html

When you are done, discuss with a neighbor:

• When I first read the problem, I thought…
• I started this problem/task by…
• When I got stuck, I…
• If I were given a similar task, I would do the following differently…
• What have I learned about myself as a problem solver/learner?

Purpose:

• Describe the voyage of Zheng He
• Argue if we should or should not celebrate the voyage of Zheng He.
• Describe key events in the Renaissance and Reformation

Homework:
None

January 27th - Starting the DBQ: Background reading on the Voyages of Zeng He

Welcome:

Welcome (answer in the comment section below):

• If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Purpose:

• Describe the voyage of Zheng He.
• Argue if we should or should not celebrate the voyage of Zheng He.

Homework
None

(If you were absent, see Mr. Protz for the reading)

January 26th - Starting the Research Project

Today students started their research projects.

Welcome (answer in the comment section below):

• If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Purpose:

• Find a topic of interest for your research project
• Draft a focus question for research

Homework: Complete your 'Finding a Research Topic'

The resources for today's lesson are linked below. 

• Finding a Research Topic

January 23rd - The Reformation & Martin Luther

Today students engaged in a blended lesson that used online documents and videos to better understand Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation.

Purpose:

• Describe the Catholicism in Europe before and after 1517.
• Describe how Martin Luther contributed to the Reformation. 

Homework: No homework 

Materials for today:

• Understanding The Reformation and Martin Luther 

January 22nd - Finishing The Prince Close Read

Today students finished The Prince Close Read and started their research projects.

Purpose:

• Describe Machiavelli’s argument on who Princes should rule
• Using the Blog & Sharing your Work 
• Find a topic of interest for your research project

Homework: Complete your 'Finding a Research Topic'

The resources for today's lesson are:

• The Prince Close Reading text (you will need the questions and task from Mr. Protz)  
• Finding a Research Topic

January 20th - Close Reading: The Prince

Today students started the Close Reading "The Way a Prince Should Keep Their Word". If you were absent, you will need to get the questions from Mr. Protz.

Purpose

• Read “The Way Princes Should Keep Their Word”  from The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
• Analyze the “The Way Princes Should Keep Their Word”   to better understand the tension between good and evil as they relate to political power.
• Evaluate Machiavelli’s argument & claims to better understand how he believes princes should lead. 

Homework: No homework

Materials:
"The Way a Prince Should Keep Their Word"

January 16th - Making a Project Timeline

Purpose for today's learning:

1. Know and be able to express the expectations for the history research project. 
2. Be confident in your ability to effectively and in a timely fashion complete the history research project. 
3. Have a completed timeline for planning. 

Homework: No homework

Resources:
Making a project timeline 

January 15th - DBQ: How did the Renaissance Change Man's View of Man?

Today students completed a Document Based Question activity (DBQ) on the Renaissance: How did the Renaissance Change Man's View of Man?
The Purpose and Agenda for the day was:

1. Review DBQ process
2. Evaluate primary sources to discover how the Renaissance changed man’s view of man
3. Draft a thesis and select evidence to answer the focus question

Materials for today that you will need to get from Mr Protz include: the DBQ handouts for understanding the question & planning to write and the primary sources for the DBQ. The primary source analysis sheet can be found here.

January 13th, 2014 - Start of the Renaissance

Today's purpose and agenda was:

1. Introduction to the Renaissance: Highlighting & Annotating

No Homework for today 

Materials for today:

• Highlighting & Annotating: Start of the Renaissance

January 12th, 2015: Course Introduction & Start of the Renaissance

Today was the first day of class - woot-woot!! Today's purpose and agenda was:

1. Understand course expectations
2. Review unit map - what are we studying and why?
3. Introduction to the Renaissance: Highlighting & Annotating
4. Housekeeping: Google accounts & research topics

Homework for today is Highlighting & Annotating: Start of the Renaissance, Step 1: Read the entire text through independently. Underline 7-10 key pieces of evidence. Due: Tuesday 1/13

Materials for today:

• Course Syllabus
• Unit Map - Renaissance and Reformation
• Highlighting & Annotating: Start of the Renaissance