Overview of 1970s + Arab-Israeli Conflict + The Outsiders

See enlarged views here & here.

Today the 8th Graders:

• During an overview of the 1970s, students expressed an interest in the 1978 Camp David Accords and consequently explored background information on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict.
• Discussed Ch. 8 of The Outsiders.

Assignments for Wednesday

1. Read Ch. 9 & 10 of The Outsiders.
2. Read these sections on the 1970s from the Online History Textbook (Clicky clicky.)

• Triangular Diplomacy: U.S., USSR, and China
• Undoing a President
• The Sickened Economy

Discussion of A Separate Peace + Vietnam War Overview

Today the 8ths:

• Had perhaps our final discussion of A Separate Peace; the students shared excellent insights; the character diagram below is interesting, despite the misspelling of the novel's title; I was going to show it to you earlier, but it would have spoiled a couple of key plot developments.
• Began taking notes on basic information about the Vietnam War
• Began reading a packet of timelines, summaries, and clashing points of view about the Vietnam War

Assignment for Tuesday: Finish reading (a couple of times each) the two timelines, the summary, and the maps of the Vietnam War. We will continue our overview of the war tomorrow.

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.
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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

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.

Will's War Discussion & Analysis + Results of WW I + Europe Before & After WW I

Today the Gr8s

• Analyzed and evaluated various aspects of Will's War: Will Bergfeld, Anna Bennett, the American Court System (as seen in Will's War), Rockefeller & the Mine Owners at Ludlow, CO; see GooDoc.
• Took notes on the Results of World War I
• Analyzed two maps showing Europe Before and After World War I

Assignments for Monday

1. Finish the GooDoc on Will's War--The Good & The Bad
2. Do the Map Analysis - Europe Before & After World War I - Write down every change you see that took place in Europe as a result of World War I.
3. Read Ch. 20 in Will's War & post 5 discussion questions.

World War I Submarine & Aerial Warfare + The A.E.F. & Allied Victory

Today the 8th Graders:

• Viewed and analyzed the sections in "Arming the Earth" on submarine and aerial warfare during World War I
• Began analyzing two maps showing the main offensives in which the American Expeditionary Force fought on the Western Front during World War I

Assignments for Monday.
1. Finish analyzing the two maps on the A.E.F.

• Number off the 6 offensives in chronological order on the map
• Gather information online on the 6 offensives and write notes out to the side of each

2. Read Ch. 6 & 7 in Will's War and post 3 discussion questions for each at your blog.

Review of Causes of WW I + Opening Action on Western Front + Trench Warfare

Click above, here, and here for enlarged views.

Today the 8ths:

• Reviewed the causes of WW I
• Looked at the opening action on the Western Front
• Analyzed the German Schlieffen Plan-Before & During
• Read through and examined diagrams in a packet on Trench Warfare on the Western Front
• Students were asked to absorb as much of the information on trench warfare as they could, as they will soon be writing a Trench Story describing an attack on a trench system during WW I
• Found additional information, including videos, online illustrating and explaining trench warfare

Assignments for Tuesday -

1. Continue finding and reading and absorbing information on trench warfare on the Western Front
2. Be thinking about possible approaches to the trench story you will soon be writing.

World War I + The Call of the Wild, Ch. VII

Today our 8ths:

1. Began our study of World War I

• Examined a map showing the Allied Powers vs. Central Powers + the main fronts of WW I
• Examined drawings & pictures of German, French, British, and American troops during WW I
• Noted how their uniforms can help us distinguish one country's troops from another's
• Noted how the uniforms, especially headgear, changed as a result of trench warfare in WW I

• Learned nicknames of some of the nations' troops: Poilu (French), Doughboy (American), Tommy (British), Hun (pejorative nickname given by Allies to German soldiers)
• Began reading A Brief Summary of World War I
• Discussed & analyzed cartoons about MANIA, the 5 Main Causes of WW I: 
• Militarism
• Alliances
• Nationalism
• Imperialism
• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary

2. Began reading Ch. VII of The Call of the Wild

Assignment for Tuesday - The Call of the Wild

1. Finish reading Ch. VII
2. Write 5 discussion questions and post them at your blog.
3. Finish the My Map on Buck's Itinerary
4. Finish the sheet on Events That Change Buck.- The final copy is due Tuesday, 9/29.

WW I Resources

• PBS Site - The Great War & the Shaping of the 20th Centry
• First World War.com
• World War I: The American Legacy