Social+Studies+Blog


 * We will be following Julia's Journey to Gambia. We will talk about this is school. Click here to follow her journey.**
 * @http://www.reachtheworld.org/journey/16723**

Wow! Look at all the dots on our Clustr map and Revolver maps. Let's use lines of latitude and longitude to mark where each place is located. Latitude and Longitude are coordinates that will give you exact locations of a place.
 * 9-14-11**

This video will help you review the directions for homework tonight. Click the link to view the video.Directions for Homework

Print the two documents below. These documents represent the people, from many of the cities, who have visited our website. One document is the answer key. The other you will turn into practice cards. Cut the practice cards so that you can separate the name of the city and state from the lines of latitude and longitude coordinates. Mix all the cards up. You can keep them face-up. Using your World Atlas book and the longitude and latitude cards, match the coordinates to the proper city.
 * 9-15-11**
 * We will use these in class today. You can print your own at home to practice too!**

Can you line the coordinate cards in order from EAST to WEST? Can you line the coordinate cards in order from South to North?



Now that America has finally declared its independence from England, it has to create a government that will allow it to function as a nation. The Articles of Confederation was the first plan of government. The pdf file below are the few notes we took in class today after we read our textbook.
 * 9-22-11**

@http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/documents/articles/index.html
 * 9-29-11**

//**Shh! We're Writing the Constitution**// **(pp. 7-11)**
 * 10-3-11**


 * 10-4-11**


 * Three questions: After listening to delegate Alexander Hamilton speak today, what do you think is wrong with the representation of him in this video?**
 * Why do you think the advertiser chose him to be the main character in this video? Who do you think the other men are?**

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Here are copies of the two resources for the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. We will draw information from two more resources next week. You will be able to add the information to your Inspiration document.
 * 10-14-11**
 * 11-10-11**
 * Please check out our Public Service Announcements. Our delegates created their own Federalists-type "papers" by creating these PSAs.**
 * We need a new form of government! The real Federalists papers were written to sway people/states to vote for the ratification of the Constitution. The first published in October 1787. In our versions, we just want people to agree that we need a new form of government. We need to act like a nation, not individual, sovereign states. We will discuss ratification in the near future.**
 * @PSA Announcements We Need A Better Government**


 * 11-29-11**
 * The states all realized that our Nation needed a new form of government, but they hit a major roadblock. What was this roadblock and how was it resolved? As you look through the various hard copy resources you will come across two key factors that helped to resolve the roadblock, The Great Compromise and the Three Fifths Compromise. We will use the population document in the Word document below to help us understand the significance of the Three Fifths Compromise and how it affected all of the states. We will really put our math skills to work on this one!**


 * What do all these numbers mean?**
 * Click the pdf below to view the notes from today.**

The Fifth Grade legislative branch of government is in session. They are currently working on a new homework bill. Stay tuned.
 * 12-8-11**

We almost have a complete homework bill! We have a little more writing to do! The following was taken from //The Princeton Model Congress//. We will modify it to fit our fifth grade needs.
 * 12-14-11**

How to Write a Bill > **1-6-12** > **Link to information about the American Court System** > **We have worked through the legislative branch of government, 5th Grade Style. Now, let's try out our judicial abilities. Yesterday, I gave you some brief information about the Hot Coffee Lawsuit against McDonalds. We expressed some of our opinions on the case. We all thought it was a little silly that someone could sue a company because that person spilled coffee on herself. Our opinions were expressed before we knew anything about the case. For homework you wrote questions that you would ask McDonalds to help you understand the case, and you wrote down questions that you would ask the elderly woman who filed the lawsuit. You are to use the printed material you and your team mates have been given to try and answer your questions. While reading, formulate additional questions and try and find the answers. Next, watch the video below. This will also help you to gather information.** > ** This case happens to be a civil case not a criminal case. In a criminal case, the defendant is found guilty or not guilty...go to jail or not to go to jail. In a civil case, the defendant will have to give compensation to the plaintiff, usually in the form of money. ** > **In a court room, who typically asks the questions? Who is required to listen carefully, record data and make a decision of guilty and not guilty? What do you think of the decision that was actually made in this case? Do you think it was the correct decision, why or why not? Do you still have the same thoughts about the case as you did before you gathered the information? Why is it important to have a judicial system in place? Think about how the system worked in this case. Was it up to the judge to make all the decisions? ** media type="custom" key="12014885" > **1-25-12** Click the pdf to view the "story" from our text pp. 154-155, Exploring the West. Of course, these illustrations are 5th grade style. Vocabulary: **immigrants, pioneers, frontier //(notice the "i" before "e"),// Appalachian Mountains //(not to be confused with Alpacas),// gap, Cumberland Gap, and Daniel Boone.** **Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail** media type="custom" key="12225752"
 * **Preamble:** This section should provide your reasons for the necessity of your bill. Why is your topic something that should be addressed by the government? This section's clauses should always begin with a "Whereas..."
 * **Body:** This section should be separated into sections and subsections. Each proposed idea for the implementation of the bill should be a section. Subsections should be used to provide further detail and clarification (definitions, etc.) for their appropriate bill sections.
 * **Enactment Clause:** This is the final section of the bill (and can be labeled as a section as normal). EACH BILL MUST HAVE AN ENACTMENT CLAUSE!! The enactment clause tells your fellow congressmen when your bill will take effect if passed. It may specify a future date (September 30, 2005) or a certain number of days following the passage of the bill (60 days after passage). Enactment dates within 30 days of passage are used for EMERGENCY legislation only. Enactment dates more than 90 days after passage is used for most legislation and is the enactment period for normal legislation.
 * I added an improved version of the Frontier Airlines story illustrations. Click the pdf to check it out.**
 * This is a home video that someone posted of the Cumberland Gap and Martin's Station. The first 30 seconds or so shows you the Cumberland Gap. The rest is video of Martin's Station. Eventually Martin's Station was a stop along the Wilderness Road. It was the only place travelers could go to buy supplies along the,way. It's an 8 minute video. You don't have to watch the entire video.**

**Picture of the Wilderness Road** **Imagine traveling the Wilderness road in a Conestoga wagon. Look at the angle of the "road" in this picture.** Click the PDF below to view the Smartboard diagram. Remember, our class notes from today match this diagram.
 * America Expands West**
 * Key words: Review: Daniel Boone, Wilderness Road, Cumberland Gap, Boonesborough, Shawnee Indians. New Vocabulary: Northwest Ordinance, Northwest territory, precedent, Louisiana Purchase, Manifest Destiny //(Although this term was not used yet in this specific time frame, the concept was of it was quite prevalent.)// **Notice from the Smartboard the 3 presidents involved with our expanding nation so far.



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 * 1-26-12 "The Louisiana Purchase in a Nutshell"**


 * Northwest Territory**

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 * 1-26-12 Lewis and Clark**

I bet you guys can write your own rap about the Lewis and Clark expedition after we learn about it, of course. media type="custom" key="12243482"


 * 2-23-12**


 * Study Maps from Smart Board**

The essay on the test will ask you to describe westward expansion in a nut shell. The videos you created below will help you.
 * 2-24-12 Class Videos Showing Westward Expansion in a Nutshell**

media type="file" key="Westward Expansion part 1 as told by the kids.wmv" width="300" height="300"

media type="file" key="Westward expansion part 2 by kids.wmv" width="300" height="300"
 * Part 2**


 * 2-28-12**


 * Captain Zebulon Pike's Expedition-**
 * Are you kidding me? Our textbook gives Pike only 6 sentences of fame! Your job is to fill in the details. Hmmm, there seems to have been some scandalous activity going on behind the scenes. Keep your eye on James Wilkinson. I'm not so sure I trust this guy! He seems to be hiding something from T.J.**
 * Use the link below to help you find the details behind this expedition. What route did Pike take? What was he looking for? This could be a tricky answer. What did he discover? What was named after him? Etc. Find the scoop!**
 * @http://www.history1700s.com/articles/article1152.shtml**


 * 2-29-12**


 * Table of Contents for the Background of the War of 1812**
 * @http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/background/amer_issues.html**

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 * Use the Junior Great Book Strategies to help you read the web pages. Don't just read, copy and paste. Make sure you understand what you are reading. When you click the weblink above, click The American Expansion Policy. Then click the video below to view how you can read the passage for meaning. I just demonstrated the first reading and how to mark vocabulary. Don't forget to talk out loud to figure out what you understand and don't understand. Mark the passage where you have questions. With your group members, go back and reread and try to gain as much understanding as possible of the material.**

[]
 * What led up to the War of 1812?**


 * Conflicts with Britain**


 * Impressment**


 * @http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/background/amer_impress.html**
 * Read the description from the link above and from the text page 365. Draw a cartoon that would describe impressment.**


 * March 5, 2012**
 * This is not a pretty drawing, but click the PDF for the visual of the Causes of the War of 1812 that corresponds to our text on page 364 and the Websites listed above.**
 * I need to go to art school!**


 * March 19, 2012**


 * Indian Removal Act Essay**


 * April 2, 2012**


 * Blank USA Map**

Today was just a quick review of our "recent" events in history. Use this to fill in your timeline. If you forgot your map, you can download the identical map above. Wow! You guys did an absolutely fabulous job recalling all this historical information today. This is after a week of Spring Break too! I am so very proud of all of you. You are awesome historians! media type="custom" key="13772810"
 * 1775- 1838 In a Nutshell**


 * Text book page 373 Texas Independence**

Here is a video/mostly audio **to remind us** how to talk about the text we read. Don't just read and forget about it. Read and ask questions. Talk about what you have just read, even if this means talking to yourself. It took us 12 minutes to talk about only 3 paragraphs in our text book. Sorry you have to hear my voice so much!! You will be recording next!

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Text from text p. 373 for you to edit. See homework page for details.
 * 4-3-12**




 * 4-4-12**


 * //Six Flags Over Texas// is not just an amusement park!**
 * []**

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 * 4-10-12**
 * Text page 374**


 * 4-30-12**
 * Trails West, Manifest Destiny and the Gold Rush**
 * pdf from Smart Board**



5-10-12 PDF Pictoral Version The North and South (p. 405-407)
 * 5-7-12**
 * Test Questions**


 * 4-14-12**


 * The pdf link below is from our Smartboard map. It's the comprehensive information from our text pages 405-112, put in a map. Continue to recreate your own version of the historical events/information on your map. Make sure you include and understand the following: sectionalism, economy, diverse economy, agriculture, industrial, free state, slave state, tariff, Missouri Compromise, Bleeding Kansas, Kansas/Nebraska Act, Fugitive Slave Act, and Compromise of 1850. This information needs to be expressed somehow/someway on your map. **


 * Next Tuesday, May 22 will be your Social Studies open book/open note test. It sounds like having an open book means the test will be a piece of cake...not necessarily. You need to make sure you understand the history in order to answer the questions. We will continue to review our history in class, but make sure you take the time at home to learn it as well. **


 * You guys did a great job today taking our little kindergarten friends' shoe song and putting historical lyrics to it. That's a great study tool!**




 * Can you find on this video what the United States looked like around 1860? Stop the video at that point and take a close look. I think this video is neat in how it shows the growth of the United States in a nutshell. You know me, always summarizing things in a nutshell!**

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This Map is for use on Thursday. It is not for the 4-14-12 homework.