8th+U.S.+History+Pt.+1

__ chorton@chinquapin.or g__ (214) 908-9200 Residence M

About me: My name is Chris Horton, and I am from all over. I was raised in Ennis, Texas but I then went to college for 2 years in Corsicana, Texas. Then I decided to finish my education in Northern California at Cal State Chico (Go Wildcats!). I’m also married to Kacie Horton AKA nice blonde lady who also works here!

Things I like: My son Lyndon, My animals ( I have a dog “Cooper’ and a cat “Calvin”) The Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco Giants Music. (I’m listening to a lot of Appleby right now)

Why am I here? I decided to come and work at Chinquapin because I am a huge dork that loves to ask questions and learn. I was so interested in asking questions that I thought “why can’t I help other people become giants dorks, that love to ask and investigate things with me?” Therefore welcome to my class, I’m so happy to finally meet you!

We will work to answer 3 major questions in U.S. History this year.

How did the different regions of the Country develop and what types of culture did they create? What does the Constitution say a good government should do, and why do we not follow it sometimes? What were the experiences like for ALL Americans?

Major Expectations:

We will always practice elements of good conversation. We agree that struggling and questioning is part of working hard and learning. In our classroom we will respect our sacred place.

Monday through Thursday from 9 am through 8 pm   Times you may call me: Monday through Thursday 7 am - 9 pm Friday through Sunday 10 am -5 pm   Times you may email or text me: Anytime! But if it is after 9 pm you must include a funny joke or picture or I will not respond! || Our “Social Contract Our classroom is an example of a “Social Contract”. This means that we agree to a couple of basic rules that the class follows in order to build a safe and open space for us to learn and grow in. When we accept to “govern” or “police” ourselves we empower ourselves to care for each other as a team. The following Expectations, Rules, Consequences, and Rewards are our Social Contract.
 * Times you may come to my house:

Rules Only choose to use language that builds our knowledge and community up, never down. One voice, using appropriate body language speak one at a time and respect the speaker. Treat this classroom as your space, keep it clean and in a way that reflects our mission. Respect our teammates personal belongings and by honoring our personal space.

Tardies: If you enter the class late collect any materials, Silently take your seat and get out your pencil, Raise your hand using the Question signal. Absences: If you miss class you must email or text me the day of or morning after, let me know the date that you missed and request the homework and a make up packet.

Grading
 * Exams / Projects ||  50%  || End of each Unit ||
 * Quizzes ||  25%  || 3 Per Unit ||
 * Homework ||  15%  || Daily ||
 * Participation / Group work ||  10%  || Daily ||

Schedule

& The Early Republic Part 1 || 1 Exam, 1 Project, 1 Paper ||
 * Quarter 1 || The Colonial Period and the Revolution || 2 Exams, 2 Performance Assessments ||
 * Quarter 2 || Building the American Government
 * Quarter 3 || The Early Republic Part 2 || 1 Exam, 1 Project,1 Paper ||
 * Quarter 4 || The Middle 1800’s || 2 Exams, 1 Project ||

Instructors: Liz Thornton & Bobby Long Email: lthornton@chinquapin.org blong@chinquapin.org
 * 011-2012 8th grade United States History, Part I **

Why study history? Many students first think of history class as a collection of dates they have to memorize and famous old dead people they need to remember. Our class this year will try to conquer that stereotype by questioning history, observing different perspectives on history, and undertaking projects which reflect and give students a first-hand experience helping them to relate to historical events and eras. Students should recognize that American History has shaped our heritages and will continue to influence the way we live today.


 * Course Objectives: **
 * View history through multiple cultural perspectives, focusing primarily on local Texas History and African American perspectives
 * Look at present day problems and trace them back to their origins and causes
 * Integrate various disciplines within the field of social studies into everyday lessons, including geography, anthropology, archeology, sociology, psychology, and government.
 * Compare conflicts in US History with similar world conflicts
 * Imagine living through events in American history by examining and engaging with primary sources
 * Express opposing viewpoints through writing, classroom interactions, and simulations, such as staging congressional hearings, elections, or a press awards ceremony
 * Understand the chronological order of historical events through constructing a time-line of Early American History
 * Use historical documents as evidence to support arguments; introduce students to the process of answering DBQ’s, an AP History assessment
 * Facilitate deeper learning through student projects
 * Incorporate 21st century skills and technology into student projects and assessments
 * Strengthen student research skills

Eighth-graders study the history of the United States before the Civil War. In the first weeks of class, we will spend time building a framework for talking about history. Specifically, we will discuss the role of the historian in our society and question the way history is constructed and disseminated to the public. Next, students dive into a unit on European exploration. Then, they will embark on research project, where each student will study a city or community in North America, looking for traces of the early explorers’ cultural influences within that region today. Next, we will study early American colonization and government. Students will learn the basics of why the English wanted new land and why America wanted independence. Then, we will closely examine the Declaration of Independence and the uniqueness of the Constitution. Our next unit on the Jacksonian Era will deepen students’ knowledge of American government as we study Andrew Jackson’s revolutionizing form of democracy and discuss his policies regarding the removal of Native Americans from the Southeast. We will then learn about America’s quest for westward expansion and how the concept of Manifest Destiny propelled the country to double in size.
 * Eighth Grade History Content: **

Next, the seventh graders learn about their homeland, Texas, beginning with Spanish colonization and going through the fight for Texas independence. Our last unit will center on the American experience of slavery, why it was practiced in Southern states and how westward expansion irritated a growing tension between slave states and free states before the Civil War.

Throughout the year, we will make connections between the history we are studying and more recent events in modern American History. A one-page essay about a current event will be assigned at regular intervals, approximately two times each quarter. Students will learn to think about what we are learning in the classroom in relation to what is currently going on in the world. Students will be encouraged to share their connections in class discussions. During class debates and Socratic seminars, we will discuss topics such as the flag burning in America, Japanese internment during WWII, and President Obama’s speech on race. Eighth grade history comes to an exciting conclusion with a culminating class project—a research assignment about slavery in the United States. Students will research a historical event, person, or place directly affected by slavery. They will also design a memorial fit for honoring the lives, struggles, and achievements of slaves in America. In a persuasive speech to the American Historical Society, students will argue for the construction of their monument in a set location. Finally, students will read their speeches aloud to the committee and unveil their designs with an eye-catching visual aid. Members of the committee (Chinquapin teachers) will vote on which slavery memorialize to construct based on the student’s historical research, persuasiveness, and creativity. This project will give eighth-graders the experience of writing a historical research paper from beginning to end, including choosing a topic, writing a thesis, doing the actual research, and finally, writing the paper. Technology will be used in the classroom via history projects and research on the Internet. Students will also be encouraged to participate in historical reenactments and role-play activities to further enhance their perspectives on specific events and ways of life reflective of a historical era.

//The History of US: The First Americans// by Joy Hakim //The History of US: Making Thirteen Colonies// by Joy Hakim //The History of US: From Colonies to Country// by Joy Hakim "A Forgotten History: The Slave Trade and Slavery in New England//" from// //Choices// Curriculum, created by Brown University (teacher reference) "A More Perfect Union: American Independence and the Constitution" //Choices// Curriculum, created by Brown University (teacher referenc
 * Texts Used: **