Classroom Blog!

Purpose: High School Seniors United States History 

• Expand students’ understanding of U.S history

• Prepare students for college

• The use of Microsoft Office will enhance and provide an efficient and creative way for both myself and students to deliver information.

• Power point will provide a means to project historic documents, photos, and lecture to students.

• Class website will be used to allow parents a view into the classroom.

Teaching Philosophy

• Belief:  The understanding of history can provide all with a means to better one’s self and minimize ignorance.

• Core Belief:  With the right tools students of all ages can better themselves and others through the knowledge of one’s own history and the history of others.

 • Interacts with Administration and Parents:

–Depending on urgency or importance communication can range from an email to a personal one on one meeting and discussion.

• Website will be launched so that both students and parents can follow the classroom activities

–Website will include homework assignments, project procedures, and class calendar.

A Typical Day

• Students will be welcomed at door 

• Agenda will be projected on screen.

• Below agenda students will be required to complete a response/question to historic quote or statement related to material that will be studied.

• 10 minutes of the beginning of the class will be dedicated to reading/answering response.

• Power point lecture will follow until the end of class.

• Once a week 10 pt. pop quiz will be given to students.

• A test will be given each time a unit has been completed.

• Homework will be assigned based on group projects and/or presentations.

–Research papers and group power point presentations will be done in steps.  

–Those steps will become homework.

Specific Activities

• Once a week students will work in groups to prepare for unit test and/or group presentation.

–Students will work in study groups.
-There will be 4 presentations each year.

• At the end of the week students can show “good note taking” to me and receive extra credit points.

• The remainder of week will be response/question, 10 minute teacher response, and lecture with aid from power point.
• Using the Software below: 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004Y3VH/ref=nosim/accountingaide-20
  -Students will use the presentations to assist with their presentations.
  -Depending on the students' topic this software will assist them with images,    presentations, and multimedia for their presentation.
    -Students must have at least 3 images in their presentation.
•  I will also use this software to during lectures.

Benefits

• Power points and website will provide a visual aid for students to better understand lecture and take notes.

• I will always make myself available for all my students to get one on one time to better understand lesson material if needed.

• Website will also provide a means of “back up” for students.