WW II Video, cont'd + Thinglink Assistance

Today the 8th Graders:

• Continued watching, pausing, and discussing the World War II in Color Video, making it to the cusp of D-Day, June 6, 1944
• Helped the 6th & 7th Graders learn to use the Thinglink online app

Assignment for Monday: Be prepared to discuss/impromptu debate the question, "Should the United States have dropped the atomic bombs?" Underline, highlight, color code the arguments for and against in the A-Bomb Packet given you in class yesterday.

Quiz over WW II in Pacific +Atomic Bomb Packet

Today the 8th Graders:

• Took the Quiz over WW II in the Pacific
• Began reading a packet of opinions on the question, "Should the United States have dropped the atomic bombs?"

Assignment for Friday

1. Finish reading the atomic bomb packet.
2. Come prepared to discuss and informally debate the propriety of dropping the a-bombs.

World War II in the Pacific + Discussion of Code Talkers

Today the Gr8s:

• Got back yesterday's graded WW II Quiz over Allied Victory in Europe & North Africa
• Used a map to trace the steps in the Allied Victory in the Pacific
• Did some drill in preparation for tomorrow's Quiz over the Pacific Theater
• Discussed Ch. 1-6 of Joseph Bruchac's Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two

Assignment for Thursday: Quiz over the Pacific Theater in WW II

Today the 8th Graders:

• Took the Quiz over World War II: Allied Victory in Europe & North Africa
• Began studying the chronological map on Allied Victory in the Pacific.
• 
  

Assignments

For Wednesday - Read & come to class prepared to discuss Ch. 3-6 in Code Talkers.

For Thursday or Friday - Quiz over map/info over Allied Victory in the Pacific

World War II Video, cont'd + Quiz Prep

Today the 8ths:

• Watched the conclusion of the Pearl Harbor video begun last Tuesday
• Continued watching the World War II in Color video begun Thursday, 1/14/16
• Studied collaboratively in preparing for tomorrow's Quiz over Allied Victory in Europe/North Africa

Assignment for Tuesday: Quiz over Allied Victory in Europe & North Africa

Review of Allied Victory in Europe & North Africa + Quiz Prep

Today the 8th Graders:

• Shared key facts about World War II with their former classmate visiting from out of town.
• Studied for Tuesday's Quiz over the Allied Victory in Europe & North Africa

Assignment for Tuesday: Quiz over the Allied Victory in Europe & North Africa

1. Learn the numbered chronology of the battles.
2. Learn the brief descriptions of the battles running down the right side of the page.

For Future Reference

D-Day Animated Maps

BBC - History - World Wars: Animated Map: Operation ...

D DAY, Normandy beaches map - YouTube

The Normandy Landings - War Times Journal

D-Day interactive charts and maps - Britannica

WW II: Allied Victory in Europe & North Africa + Readings in Ambrose's The Good Fight

Today the 8th Graders:

• Studied, color coded, & annotated a step-by-step map of the Allies' defeat of the Axis Powers in Europe & North Africa
• Read relevant chapters in Stephen Ambrose's WW II book, The Good Fight

Assignment for Friday: Finish reading these chapters in Ambrose:

• p. 22 - Battle of the Atlantic
• 27 - 28 - Operation Torch (N. Africa)
• 32  - Operation Husky (Sicily)
• 34-36 - Campaign in Italy
• 44 - The Air War Over Europe
• 48 & 52 - D-Day

Click here to enlarge.

Other useful maps:
Here, here, here, here, here, here, here.

Pearl Harbor Debate + Book on Navajo Code Talkers

Today the 8th Graders:

• Did an excellent job of debating the question, "Why was the United States caught off-guard at Pearl Harbor?" Click here to see notes on their opening arguments.
• Began reading Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two

Assignment for Thursday: Read and come prepared to discuss pp. 1-18 in Code Talker.

Pearl Harbor Documentary + Pearl Harbor Debate Prep

Today the Eights:

• Watched most of an excellent documentary on the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941
• Continued taking notes in preparation for tomorrow's debate over the question, "Why was the United States caught off-guard at Pearl Harbor?"

Assignment for Wednesday: Finish taking your debate prep notes on all the readings in the Pearl Harbor Packet and come prepared to debate!

World War II Overview Video, cont'd + Pearl Harbor Debate Prep, cont'd

Click here for enlarged view of NYT page.

Today the 8th Graders:

• Continued watching the video overview of World War II
• Choose sides for a debate over the question, "Why was the United States caught off-guard at Pearl Harbor?"
• Continued preparing for the debate by gathering information from a packet of primary and secondary source materials on the Pearl Harbor attack

Assignments - None, EXCEPT, Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and enjoy your 3-day hol!

Quiz over WW II in Europe/N. Africa: Dark Days for the Allies 1939-41 + WW II Color Video + Pearl Harbor

Today the 8th Graders:

• Took a Quiz over WW II in Europe & North Africa: Dark Days for the Allies, 1939-41
• Viewed the first 20 minutes of a color film on World War II
• Began reading a packet dealing with the question of why the United States was caught off-guard at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941; we will debate this next week.

Assignments for Friday

1. Finish reading the first two pages of the Pearl Harbor packet, "The Question of Pearl Harbor"
2. Finish your chart based on the first two pages showing the names of each historian and his arguments as to why the U. S. was caught off-guard at Pearl Harbor.

Axis Aggressions Leading to WW II + Dark Days for the Allies: Axis Conquests 1939-41 + Ambrose's The Good Fight

Today the 8th Graders:

• Studied the Animated Map of Axis Aggressions Leading to World War II
• Took a Quiz over the Axis Aggressions
• Examined a map and chronology of Dark Days for the Allies: Axis Conquests in Europe & North Africa, 1939-41
• Began reading pp. 4-8 in Stephen E. Ambrose's The Good Fight: How World War II Was Won

Assignments for Thursday--
1. Quiz over Map-Dark Days for the Allies: Axis Conquests, 1939-41

• Be able to identify the 6 Axis Conquests (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9) and the 3 Axis Failures (5, 7, 9).
• Use the maps given you in class, plus the Animated Map-Dark Days for the Allies 1939-41 if it helps.

2. Read pp. 4-8 in Stephen E. Ambrose's The Good Fight: How World War II Was Won

Crash Course Videos on WW II + Chronology of U. S. Neutrality

Today the Grade 8s:

• Finished watching, pausing, and analyzing two Crash Course Videos on World War II
• Analyzed a Chronology of U. S. Neutrality During World War II, focusing on the question, "How neutral was the United States from 1939-1941?"
• They color coded events on the two-page chronology by highlighting as follows:
• Pink = Policies toward Great Britain
• Orange =  Policies for the Western Hemisphere
• Blue = Policies for U. S. Military Preparedness
• Yellow = Policies toward Japan 
• They then analyzed the extent to which the U. S. was neutral with regard to each of the four color-coded policies.

Assignment for Wednesday - Complete the analysis of the Chronology of U. S. Neutrality.

Crash Course on WW II + Video on Hitler & the Third Reich

Today the Mighty 8ths:

• Got back their graded Quiz over A Brief Summary of World War II
• Viewed and discussed the Crash Course Video on World War II-Part 1
• Worked on the assignment due Tuesday (see below).

Assignments

For Tuesday - Finish viewing the Video on Hitler & the Third Reich and take notes on everything you see that you've already learned about Nazism and key facts that are new to you.

For Future Reference
Wikipedia on Native American Code Talkers

Quiz over WW II + Video on Hitler & Nazis

Today the Grade 8's:

• Took the Quiz over A Brief Summary of World War II
• Viewed video footage on Hitler and Nazism and applied their knowledge of fascism and Nazism to what was shown and heard

Assignments

For Monday - Nothing due.

For Tuesday - Finish viewing the Video on Hitler & the Third Reich and take notes on everything you see that you've already learned about Nazism and key facts that are new to you.

Introduction to Fascism & Nazism (cont'd) + Quiz Prep: Brief Summary of WW II

Today the Grade 8's:

• Examined, analyzed, and discussed the basic principles of Nazism & Fascism
• Studied for tomorrow's Quiz over A Brief Summary of WW II

Assignment for Friday - Quiz over A Brief Summary of WW II

Fascism & Nazism: A Brief Introduction

Assignments

For Thursday - Take notes from an encyclopedia or other sources on the 10 characteristics of Fascism & Nazism found on the handout studied in class: Front Page + Back Page

For Friday - Quiz over A Brief Summary of World War II--Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3 (Map)

Brief Summary of WW II + Axis Aggressions Leading to World War II

Today the Eighthies:

• Continued reading, analyzing, and discussing A Brief Summary of World War II--Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3 (Map)
• Continued focusing on the Axis Aggressions Leading to World War II
• Viewed the brief video of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's return Germany with the Munich Agreement, signed on my mother's 12th birthday (30 September 1939)

• Began finding pictures illustrating the Axis Aggressions Leading to World War II and attaching them to the chart of the Aggressions

Assignments

For Wednesday - Finish finding and attaching pictures illustrating the Axis Aggressions

For Thursday - Quiz over the Brief Summary of World War II


For Future Reference:

Animated Map-Axis Aggressions Leading to World War II

Welcome Back + World War II: Brief Summary & Comparison of WW I & WW II + Quiz Prep

Click here for enlarged view.

Today the 8ths:

• Were welcomed back from their Christmas Hols
• Shared important events from the hols
• Began reading and discussing the Brief Summary of World War II
• Collaborated on a GooDoc showing collages from World War I & World War II

Assignments

For Tuesday--Finish your collaboration on the GooDoc comparing WW I & WW II

For Thursday- Quiz over Brief Summary of WW II