Gary Coyle’s Grade 8 Humanities

Major Items Covered:

• Preparation for Imperialism Trial
• The Trial
• Thanksgiving Break

Reflection:

This week we begin writing our first research paper. In this paper you are going to look at the net effect of imperialism on a country in the region of Africa that you have been studying. To help you begin to determine the net effect, please create in your blog a list of the pros and cons of imperialism in Africa as you understand it so far. Feel free to draw information from The Scramble for Africa simulation, the trial of imperialism, classroom readings, and the research you have done on your region of Africa.

Major Points From Last Week:

• Debrief- Scramble for Africa
• Feedback – Footprint cartoon
• SQ3R Read – History of the region
• ARS – Research Time
• POP Quiz – West Africa Map
• Effective Internet Searches
• SQ3R Read – Your region Today
• ARS – LMC research time
• Colonization On Trial – Day 1
  • Assign student roles and pass out the appropriate note taking sheet for their role.
  • Student should be scheduled into the library and all of the resources for them will be pulled.
• Colonization On Trial – Day 2
  • Show clips of trials, there are two trial clips from A Few Good Men in the folder.
  • Discuss the flow and structure of questioning. There is a PowerPoint on Trial Basics in the folder.
  • Give student time to finish research for their role.

Reflection

Commenting is a skill in blogging that I would like to revisit this week. When you comment to a BLOG you are really accomplishing three things:

1. Letting the writer know they have an audience.
2. Encouraging each other to write
3. Helping each other think more deeply about an issue.

We can help others think more deeply by commenting thoughtfully. A thoughtful comment usually does one of the following:

1. Agrees and adds supporting information
2. Moves the topic in a new direction with new evidence or a new interpretation of evidence
3. Disagrees respectfully by adding contradictory evidence

Remember when responding to a BLOG posting challenging ideas is acceptable and encouraged, however singling out individuals for criticism is not.

In order to practice this skill, please spend the next twenty minutes reading BLOG entries from the people whose names are above and below yours in the class BLOG list. Then respond thoughtfully to one posting of your choice from each of those two classmates.

Again here are some possibilities of how you could start your comment.

(Insert their name here)This made me think about…….
(Insert their name here) I wonder why…….
(Insert their name here)Your writing made me form an opinion about…….
(Insert their name here) This post is relevant because…….
(Insert their name here)Your writing made me think that we should…….
(Insert their name here) I wish I understood why…….
(Insert their name here) This is important because…….
(Insert their name here) Another thing to consider is…….
(Insert their name here) I can relate to this…….
(Insert their name here) This makes me think of…….
(Insert their name here) I discovered…….
(Insert their name here) I don’t understand…….
(Insert their name here) I was reminded that…….
(Insert their name here) I found myself wondering…….

Ideas for comment starters synthesized from Vicki A. Davis at http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/

Major Points From Last Week:

• Journal Reflection- Can we trust the “truthfulness” of what we read in To Be A Slave ?
• TBAS – Quiz chapters 2 and 3
• Touchstone Discussion / Lecture – Slavery Today
• ARS Research / Worktime
• SQ3R Reading – Relevant sections in Geography Text
• Quiz- Slavery
• Africa Map Game
• ARS Research / Worktime
• Simulation – The Scramble for Africa
• Africa Map Game

Reflection

Post your response to the following as a comment to your BLOG: Please copy the below image and add it to your BLOG posting

Please analyze the above cartoon. As part of your analysis please address the following questions:

What are the main visual elements?

What issue is this political cartoon about?

What is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue?

What evidence in the cartoon supports your opinion?

What other techniques could the cartoonist have used to make this cartoon more persuasive?

image from:http://img.photobucket.com

Remember the legend for the map is as follows:

France = Green
Great Britain = Orange
Germany= Red
Belgium=Purple
Spain=Brown
Netherlands=Blue
Portugal=Yellow

For Monday please post your response to the following on your BLOG.

1. What strategy did you use to claim land?
2. What factors did you consider in claiming land?
3. Who won the Scramble for Africa?
4. Who lost in the Scramble for Africa?

Please write in complete sentences and give specific evidence to back up your opinions.

Remember the legend for the map is as follows:

France = Red
Great Britain = Orange
Germany= Green
Belgium=Purple
Spain=Blue
Netherlands=Black
Portugal=Yellow

For Monday please post your response to the following on your BLOG.

1. What strategy did you use to claim land?
2. What factors did you consider in claiming land?
3. Who won the Scramble for Africa?
4. Who lost in the Scramble for Africa?

Please write in complete sentences and give specific evidence to back up your opinions.