Final Academic Day of 2015-2016: Congratulations + Looking Back & Forward + Obama Presidency + Imperialism Debate with 6th & 7th Graders

On the last day of regular classes, the First 8th Grade Class in CCS History:

• Received congratulations and thanks for their hard work and cooperation the past two years
• Discussed their plans for next year
• Looked back on some of the highlights of the past school year
• Viewed a short video, Obama Presidency in 2 Minutes
• Were alerted to a longer video called Obama's First Term - PBS Frontline - 45:05
• Participated in the Grade 6/7 debate over U. S. Overseas Imperialism

Assignment for Wednesday: Enjoy the final academic night of 2015-2016 despite having no assignments to work on!

1990s, cont'd: Presidents G. H. W. Bush & Bill Clinton + 2000s: Presidents George W. Bush & Barack Obama

Today the lone 8th Grader in attendance:

• Watched the rest of the segment of the American Presidents video on President G. H. W. Bush, plus the sections on Presidents Bill Clinton & G. W. Bush

G.H.W. Bush: 23:07 --- Bill Clinton: 30:01 --- G.W. Bush: 37:32
• Read the Chart-Presidencies of George W. Bush & Barack Obama.

Assignment for Tuesday: Finish reading the above chart and be prepared for an informal debate over the question, "Who was the better president: George W. Bush or Barack Obama?

Field Trip to Killeen

Today the 8th Graders went on a field trip to Killeen.

Field Trip Postponed

Today the 8th Graders were going to go on a field trip to Killeen but got rained out & watched the movie National Treasure instead.

Wednesday - 18may16

Assignment for Friday: Read the rest of the columns on the Chart - Online Textbook - 1990s

Operation Desert Storm + Presidents GHW Bush & B Clinton

Today the mighty Eighths:

• Watched & discussed this Video-Operation Desert Storm
• Read on Presidents Bush & Clinton in the Chart-Online Textbook-1990s - 60, 60a, 60b, 60c

Assignment for Wednesday - Finish the reading on Bush I & Clinton.

Debate: Reagan & the Cold War + President G. H. W. Bush

Today the Men of the 8th:

• Did an excellent job of debating the question, "Did President Reagan end the Cold War?"
• Compiled a chronology of the presidency of George Herbert Walker Bush
• Began reading a summary of their choice of the Bush I Presidency

Assignment for Tuesday

1. Finish the Chronology of Bush I's Presidency
2. Finish reading the summary of Bush I's Presidency - Send me the link you read.

Video on Reagan + Prep for Deb over Reagan & the Cold War

Today the 8ths:

• Viewed the rest of the video begun yesterday on President Reagan
• Chose sides and began preparing for a debate over the question, "Did President Reagan end the Cold War? They began reading the first of the following articles and were given access to additional information in the second.
• Yes/No Article - Did President Reagan End the Cold War?
• 5 Articles - Did President Reagan End the Cold War?

Assignment for Monday - Debate over Reagan & the Cold War (See above.)

President Reagan: Discussion of Article + Video Summary

Today the 8th Graders:

• Discussed the article they read last night on President Ronald Reagan
• Viewed part of the Reagan portion of a video on U. S. Presidents from 1977-2008

Assignment for Thursday: None

Video on The Eighties + Review Article on President Reagan

Today the 8ths:

• Viewed, pausing to discuss, the above video on the Eighties
• Read and highlighted key points in an article reviewing several full-length books on the Reagan Presidency.

Assignment for Wednesday: Finish reading and highlighting the article on President Reagan.

Review of the 1970s + Overview of 1980s + Reaganomics + Budget Deficits/Surpluses

Today the 8th Graders:

• Welcomed back national traveler Wingboy
• Discussed some of the concepts he missed last week
• Discussed some of the key developments of the 1980s
• Analyzed basic aspects of Reaganomics
• Analyzed a graph showing budget deficits/surpluses from Carter to Reagan
• Began an online quiz over the 1970s, found at the bottom of this page: The Seventies - CNN Series

Assignments for Tuesday

• Finish the Online Quiz over The Seventies - CNN Series
• Read items 4-6 on the 1980s found in the Online Textbook:

1. The Reagan Years
2. "Morning in America"
3. Reaganomics
4. Foreign and Domestic Entanglements
5. Life in the 1980s
6. The End of the Cold War

The Seventies - CNN Series - Web Page
The Eighties - CNN Series - Web Page
The Eighties - NBC News Special - 50:24

The New Right: Discussion & Crash Course Vid

Today the 8:

• Discussed last night's reading on The New Right
• Viewed a Crash Course Video on The Rise of Conservatism during the 1960s/1970s (See above.)

Assignment for Monday (no class Friday) - Read the first 3 pages below on President Ronald Reagan (clicky clicky).

1. The Reagan Years
2. "Morning in America"
3. Reaganomics
4. Foreign and Domestic Entanglements
5. Life in the 1980s
6. The End of the Cold War

1970s: President Carter + Graph Analysis + The New Right

Today the 8th:

• Finished the Crash Course Video on Ford, Carter, Malaise
• Examined the handout showing approval ratings, economic growth, inflation, and other factors during the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush I, and Clinton.
• Began rereading for clarification the Online Textbook pages on Finding Oneself & The New Right during the 1970s

Assignments for Thursday: Reread the Online Textbook pages from last night. (See links above.)

Presidents Ford & Carter + Economic Terminology + Crash Course Video on Ford & Carter + Articles on Carter & Other Presidents

Today the 8th Grader:

• Discussed key economic points (especially inflation & real wages) found on these Graphs-Carter-Reagan-Bush I-Clinton
• Viewed & discussed a Crash Course Video on Ford, Carter, & Malaise (See above.)
• Began reading 3 articles, two of them on President Jimmy Carter & one on U. S. Presidents from FDR to Reagan

Assignment for Wednesday: Finish reading the 3 articles begun in class.

1970s, cont'd: President Jimmy Carter + The Me Decade + The New Right

Today the 8th Grader:

• Read part of the Chart-1970s-Part 2-ForPol After Nixon/Finding Oneself/The New Right
• Viewed the segment on President Jimmy Carter in this video.

Assignment for Tuesday: Finish reading the second and third columns on Chart-1970s-Part 2-ForPol After Nixon/Finding Oneself/The New Right