Ladakh Final - Class Recap

Congratulations! If you passed the class, you have completed a semester of Global Studies! Photo taken at Niagara Falls in 2010.

Dear class,

Today was finals day in class and, as promised, we did a essay test on the Ladakh, with multiple different possibilities for learning targets to address. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Communication LT 1:  I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Critical Thinking LT 1: I can explain multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
Knowledge LT 10: I can demonstrate an understanding of the connection between the physical and human systems.
Knowledge LT 15: I can explain how culture both reflects and shapes society.
Knowledge LT 17: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.

Soundtrack: "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. Selected for today because Ladakh is located in Kashmir, India. A classic song! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/31/18:
News Brief – Emma
Grades
Ladakh Final
Study Time

Homework: Read the blog. Good luck on the rest of finals! Next news brief: Bailey.

News Brief: Emma selected an article about this story for the news brief today: BBC.com - Paris officials investigate suspected anti-Semitic attack on schoolboy. We found France in the world map packet and noted we did a news brief story about the country. Especially after studying the Holocaust recently, this is horrifying to read about.

Bailey was assigned to do the next news brief.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update in class. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Grades: After the news and checking in with students about if anything fun or interesting was going on outside of class, I talked about how grades for the class (and the final) would work. Basically, the Westview Global Studies team has a general agreement to use the final to help improve student grades, instead of bring them down. That said, if there is an obvious lack of effort or knowledge, we will take that into account, as well. So, if you are an A student, you can be almost assured of keeping that grade. If you have a lower grade, the final is an opportunity to improve. I am only going to put scores in the gradebook (StudentVUE) that improve grades (so you might just see a blank grade for your final), so that I can finish grading everything by the deadline. We have a grading day on Friday, so I expect your scores will be entered and grades will be posted by then.

Ladakh Final: This was the assignment for the rest of class. As promised, I let students use notes from the previous classes on Ladakh. The test itself was four questions (all the questions needed to be answered), followed by a short response essay for each one. There were five different learning target possibilities that the final addressed (written out above). I am looking forward to reading these over and assessing where you are at! If students finished early, there was time to quietly work in class.

Final grades for the semester are due by Monday, February 5. I anticipate that I will submit them far before then, but just a heads up. Thanks for your hard work, everyone! See you next class, when we will start the second semester! :-)

Ladakh, Day 4 - Class Recap

We finished the Ladakh documentary in class last time, in which we learned that many of the people there are Buddhist. This is a famous Buddhist temple (Swayambhunath) in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo taken in 2015.

Hi everyone,

Today was our last day of preparation for the semester final, which will be the next time I see you. I think we are generally in a good place and ready to take it! Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Communication LT 1:  I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Critical Thinking LT 1: I can explain multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
Knowledge LT 10: I can demonstrate an understanding of the connection between the physical and human systems.
Knowledge LT 15: I can explain how culture both reflects and shapes society.
Knowledge LT 17: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.

Soundtrack: "Final Hour" by Lauryn Hill. Selected for today because it is the last class before finals, and Ms. Hill references a thesis in her song lyrics.

AGENDA 1/29/18:
Wildcat News Brief – Naomi
Class Feedback
Surveys
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Prepare for finals (see below)! Next news brief: Emma.

News Brief: Naomi selected an article about this story for the news brief today: NPR.org - Venezuelan Supreme Court Bans Opposition Leaders From Upcoming Presidential Election. We found Venezuela in our world map packet and discussed this story together, before moving on. We also checked in about the weekend and what students are up to outside of class.

Emma was selected to do the next news brief.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

If you missed class or wanted to see it again, here is Wildcat News for the day:

Class Feedback: In the spirit of assessment, I asked students to provide me with some feedback about how class has been going this year so far, and what can be improved. The four questions that I asked students to anonymously answer were:

What do you like about this class? What do you think you as students are good at doing in this class?

What does this class (you, as students) need to improve at doing? What could you do better at with class?

What do you like about Mr. Fritz as a teacher? What is Mr. Fritz good at as a teacher?

What does Mr. Fritz need to improve at as a teacher? What could be better about this class?

I will show everyone the combined results from this after finals, so we can learn about what is working and what could be improved. Thanks for participating in this!

Surveys: For the rest of class, it was study time (students should have been able to finish their notes on the Ladakh handout in class), as well as helping some of my Diversity and Social Justice students out by taking some of their surveys for their final project. Here are the surveys:

Google Forms - Nathan's Survey

Google Forms - Quinn's Survey

Google Forms - Jenna's Survey

Google Forms - Brendan's Survey

Google Forms - Jay's Survey

Google Forms - Katelyn's Survey

Work Time: As I have been explaining in class, your final will be based on a case study of what happened in Ladakh, which is an region in India. Students will be asked to write short responses (about a paragraph each) about many different aspects of the Ladakh, using almost all of the learning targets we have been through this semester.

Here is the reading packet I passed out in class to study from. Students were taking notes on the back page during the documentary:

Google Drive - Traditional vs. Modern Ladakh Reading and Notes

We watched this famous documentary the past two classes, looking at traditional Ladakh.  Students are analyzing how it has changed, and how geography, culture, and structures of power play a role in the society.

This is an old movie, for sure (I remember watching it when I was in high school), and also so good at going over the themes we have been talking about all semester.

Please finish your notes on the different learning targets and how they relate to the case study of the Ladakh by reviewing the reading material! Let me know if you are confused about how to prepare.

Here is the schedule for finals this semester:

Westview High School Semester 1 Finals Schedule 2018

Good luck on all of your finals, everyone! See you next class, for our last meeting of the first semester!

Ladakh, Day 3 - Class Recap

Prayer flags in Kathmandu, Nepal - a region very similar to Leh and Ladakh! Photo taken in 2015.

Dear class,

We continued preparing for the semester final today in class! Plenty to go through. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Communication LT 1:  I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Critical Thinking LT 1: I can explain multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
Knowledge LT 10: I can demonstrate an understanding of the connection between the physical and human systems.
Knowledge LT 15: I can explain how culture both reflects and shapes society.
Knowledge LT 17: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.

Soundtrack: "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. Selected for today because of the change we saw in Ladakh in the documentary today. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/25/18:
News Brief – Logan
Modern Ladakh

Reading Analysis
Finals Prep

Homework: Read the blog. Continue preparing for your finals! Next news brief: Naomi.

News Brief: Logan selected an article about this story for the news brief today: DailyPost.ng - POLITICSObasanjo’s statement on Buhari: APGA blasts former president. We found Nigeria in our world map packet and talked about this story for a bit, as well as a little bit about the geography regarding religion in the country, which is the most populated in Africa.

Naomi was selected to do the next news brief.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Modern Ladakh: Next, we continues with the final unit of the semester. Here is the reading packet I passed out in class on Tuesday. Students were taking notes today on the second (pages 4-6) section, about modern Ladakh:

Google Drive - Traditional vs. Modern Ladakh Reading and Notes

We watched the second part of this famous documentary, looking at traditional Ladakh (starting at about 24:45 in and finishing the rest of the video). Students are analyzing how the region has changed, and how geography, culture, and structures of power play a role in the society since the modernization of Ladakh.

This is an old documentary, for sure (I remember watching it when I was in high school), and also so good at going over the themes we have been talking about all semester. Thanks for your hard work here!

Reading Analysis: As with last class, students had plenty of time at the end of class to be reading through the handout about traditional and modern Ladakh, writing notes on the learning targets, and getting prepared to write for the final next week.

Finals Prep: At the end of class, we did an activity that focused on preparing for your first finals of high school. Here is the worksheet we went through and discussed:

Google Drive - Semester Finals Preparation

As a heads up, the top of the worksheet is incorrect - Friday is your Period 7 final and Monday is Period 8. Here is the actual schedule for finals this year:

Westview High School Semester 1 Finals Schedule 2018

Next class, we will have as a study period, because I do not want to introduce new content before finals. See you then!

Ladakh, Day 2 - Class Recap

Yesterday, we opened the walls so it was one big classroom with Mr. Puterbaugh, and talked about "Night" themes! This is a photo of Long Beach, California at night.

Hello everyone,

I enjoyed opening the walls up to have one big class together yesterday! Today, we got back to preparing for the Global Studies final. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Knowledge LT 17: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.
Behavior LT 1:  I can manage my responsibilities as a student.
Behavior LT 2:  I can self-direct my learning.
Behavior LT 3: I can communicate and work effectively within a team or group.

Soundtrack: "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" by Pink Floyd. Selected for today because we took down the wall between the two classrooms yesterday! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/23/18:
News Brief – Bob
Seminar Defrief
Traditional Ladakh
Reading Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Continue preparing for all of your finals! Next news brief: Logan.

News Brief: Bob selected an article about this story for the news brief today: BBC.com - Syria war: 'Civilians flee' Turkish assault on Afrin enclave. We talked about this story for a little bit and found Syria in our world maps, before moving on.

Logan was selected to do the next news brief.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Seminar Debrief: I wanted to talk a little about how the Socratic Seminar on the Rise of Hitler reading went last class. I was super pleased with how students were able to take control and lead the discussion! I also randomly chose a few students today in class to give their opinion on the activity. It did seem like the consensus was that it was worthwhile and interesting, so I will look for ways to incorporate it again in the future!

I also told everyone that the Behavior Learning Target grades (students did a self assessment for this in class today) for the mini-unit on the Holocaust are in the grade book soon and can be looked at on StudentVUE. I think it is a good indication of where everyone is at! Thank you for participating!

Traditional Ladakh: Next, we started with the actual final unit. Here is the reading packet I passed out in class. Students were taking notes on the first section, about traditional Ladakh (very similar to the first video we analyzed last week):

Google Drive - Traditional vs. Modern Ladakh Reading and Notes

We watched the first part of this famous documentary, looking at traditional Ladakh (through about 24:45 in, before stopping).  Students are analyzing how the region has changed, and how geography, culture, and structures of power play a role in the society.

This is an old movie, for sure (I remember watching it when I was in high school), and also so good at going over the themes we have been talking about all semester. After the first part of the video, I gave students the rest of class to be reading the Traditional Ladakh portion of the handout (the first three pages) and completing the notes on the different learning targets. We will pick back up next class with learning about Modern Ladakh! Thanks, everyone!

Ladakh, Day 1 - Class Recap

Today, we started preparing for our final unit of the semester, which features many of the learning targets that we have worked on this year. We will be looking at a region of India - this is a photo that I took at the Taj Mahal on Spring Break of 2015!

Hi everyone,

We had our Socratic Seminar and began preparing for the semester final today in class! As such, there is a lot to talk about. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Communication LT 1:  I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Critical Thinking LT 1: I can explain multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
Knowledge LT 10: I can demonstrate an understanding of the connection between the physical and human systems.
Knowledge LT 15: I can explain how culture both reflects and shapes society.
Knowledge LT 17: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.

Soundtrack: "Video" by India Arie. Selected for today because we watched a couple of videos in class, and because we are learning more about a region of India! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/19/18:
News Brief – Kiran
Socratic Seminar
Final Unit
Traditional Ladakh

Homework: Read the blog. All late/missing/revised work is due by today! Next news brief: Bob.

News Brief: Kiran selected an article about this story for the news brief today: UN.org - UN poised to scale up support for Libya’s post-conflict transition, Security Council told. We found Libya in our world map packet and talked about this story for a bit, as well as what has been happening in Libya since the "Arab Spring."

Bob was selected to do the next news brief.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Socratic Seminar: Next, we had the discussion that we started preparing for the last few classes. This was the first time we have attempted to do this in class, and I think it went well! I was proud of everyone participating.

This was the reading that we were discussing in class:

Google Drive - Could Hitler Happen Again Reading

The questions and answers that I wanted the class to do in preparation for the discussion on this were:

1) What happened so that Hitler could get power?

2) Make three discussion questions (not yes or no answers) about the reading. Try to base your questions on specific quotes from the reading.

To help with this, I passed out these tips for helping the conversation flow:

Google Drive - Socratic Seminar Tips

I explained that I wanted the discussion to be student led and directed, and then I tried to get out of the conversation as much as possible. Overall, I was pleased with the conversation and I think you touched on some really important issues and questions! Thanks for being willing to participate. I also told everyone that the Behavior Learning Target grades (students did a self assessment for this in class today) for the mini-unit on the Holocaust will be in the grade book soon and can be looked at on StudentVUE. I think it is a good indication of where everyone is at! Thank you for participating!

Final Unit: As I explained in class, your final will be based on a case study of what happened in Ladakh, which is an region in India. Students will be asked to write about many different aspects of the Ladakh, using almost all of the learning targets we have been through this semester. To begin with this process, I asked students to make a grid in their notes to practice what we would be doing later in class. The four learning targets are: Location and Region (where is it? what is it like?), Human and Physical Systems (how does it work?), Culture (Surface and Deep Characteristics), and Structures of Power (Government and Economic Systems). Here is the video we practiced with:

We talked as a class about what we saw with the four targets and analyzed the connections as practice. We will continue preparing for the final next class! Have a good weekend!

Ladakh Semester Final - Class Recap

Congratulations! If you passed the class, you have completed a semester of Global Studies! Photo taken at Niagara Falls in 2010.

Dear class,

Today was finals day in class and, as promised, we did a essay test on the Ladakh, with multiple different possibilities for learning targets to address. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Communication LT 1:  I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Critical Thinking LT 1: I can explain multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
Knowledge LT 10: I can demonstrate an understanding of the connection between the physical and human systems.
Knowledge LT 15: I can explain how culture both reflects and shapes society.
Knowledge LT 17: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.

Soundtrack: "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. Selected for today because Ladakh is located in Kashmir, India. A classic song! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 2/7/17:
News Brief – Reese
Grades
Class Feedback
Ladakh Final

Homework: Read the blog. Good luck on the rest of finals! Next news brief: Sam.

News Brief: Reese selected an article about this story for the news brief today: CNN.com - Der Spiegel's Donald Trump cover sparks controversy. We found Germany in the world map packet and noted we did a news brief story about the country. We also checked out the cover, and talked about what we were up to over the weekend.

Sam was assigned to do the next news brief.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update in class. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Grades: After the news and checking in with students about if anything fun or interesting was going on outside of class, I talked about how grades for the class (and the final) would work. Basically, the Westview Global Studies team has a general agreement to use the final to help improve student grades, instead of bring them down. That said, if there is an obvious lack of effort or knowledge, we will take that into account, as well. So, if you are an A student, you can be almost assured of keeping that grade. If you have a lower grade, the final is an opportunity to improve. I am only going to put scores in the gradebook (StudentVUE) that improve grades (so you might just see a blank grade for your final), so that I can finish grading everything by the deadline. We do not have a grading day, due to the snow, so I am hoping to try and grade these as quickly as possible so you have an up to date grade ASAP.

Class Feedback: In the spirit of assessment, I asked students to provide me with some feedback about how class has been going this year so far, and what can be improved. The four questions that I asked students to anonymously answer were:

What do you like about this class? What do you think you as students are good at?

What does this class (you, as students) need to improve at?

What do you like about Mr. Fritz as a teacher? What is Mr. Fritz good at as a teacher?

What does Mr. Fritz need to improve at as a teacher?

I will show everyone the combined results from this next class, so we can learn about what is working and what could be improved. Thanks for participating in this!

Ladakh Final: This was the assignment for the rest of class. As promised, I let students use notes from the previous class(es) on Ladakh. The test itself was four questions (all the questions needed to be answered), followed by a short response essay for each one. There were five different learning target possibilities that the final addressed (written out above). I am looking forward to reading these over and assessing where you are at! If students finished early, there was time to quietly work in class.

Final grades for the semester are due by Tuesday, February 21. I anticipate that I will submit them far before then, but just a heads up. Thanks for your hard work, everyone! See you next class, when we will start the second semester! :-)

Ladakh Final Prep - Class Recap

We finished the Ladakh documentary in class today, in which we learned that many of the people there are Buddhist. This is a famous Buddhist temple (Swayambhunath) in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo taken in 2015.

Hi everyone,

Today was our last day of preparation for the semester final, which will be later this week. I think we are generally in a good place and ready to take it! Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Communication LT 1:  I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Critical Thinking LT 1: I can explain multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
Knowledge LT 10: I can demonstrate an understanding of the connection between the physical and human systems.
Knowledge LT 15: I can explain how culture both reflects and shapes society.
Knowledge LT 17: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.

Soundtrack: "Final Hour" by Lauryn Hill. Selected for today because it is the last class before finals, and Ms. Hill references a thesis in her song lyrics.

AGENDA 2/2/17:
News Brief – Olivia
Seminar Debrief
Ancient Futures
Ladakh Final Prep

Homework: Read the blog. Prepare for finals (see below)! Period 2 final is Tuesday! Next news brief: Reese.

News Brief: Olivia selected an article about this story for the news brief today: NYDailyNews.com - Bangladeshi girl, 10, may be first female with ‘tree man syndrome’. We found Bangladesh in our world map packet and discussed this interesting medical case together, before moving on.

Reese was selected to do the next news brief.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Seminar Debrief: I wanted to talk a little about how the Socratic Seminar on the Rise of Hitler reading went last class. I was super pleased with how students were able to take control and lead the discussion! I also chose a few students today in class to give their opinion on the activity. It did seem like the consensus was that it was worthwhile and interesting, so I will look for ways to incorporate it again in the future!

The Behavior Learning Target grades for the mini-unit on the Holocaust are now in the grade book and can be looked at on StudentVUE. I think it is a good indication of where everyone is at! Thank you for participating!

Ancient Futures: As I have been explaining in class, your final will be based on a case study of what happened in Ladakh, which is an region in India. Students will be asked to write about many different aspects of the Ladakh, using almost all of the learning targets we have been through this semester.

Here is the reading packet I passed out last class. Students were taking notes on the back page during the documentary:

Google Drive: Intro to Ladakh Readings

We watched the rest of this famous documentary, looking at traditional Ladakh.  Students are analyzing how it has changed, and how geography, culture, and structures of power play a role in the society.

This is an old movie, for sure (I remember watching it when I was in high school), and also so good at going over the themes we have been talking about all semester.

Ladakh Final Prep: Please finish your notes on the different learning targets and how they relate to the case study of the Ladakh by reviewing the reading material! Let me know if you are confused about how to prepare. See you next class, for our last class of the semester!

Ladakh Semester Final - Class Recap

Congratulations! If you passed the class, you have completed a semester of Global Studies! Photo taken at Niagara Falls in 2010.

Dear class,

Today was finals day in class and, as promised, we did a essay test on the Ladakh, with multiple different possibilities for learning targets to address. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Communication LT 1:  I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Critical Thinking LT 1: I can explain multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
Knowledge LT 10: I can demonstrate an understanding of the connection between the physical and human systems.
Knowledge LT 15: I can explain how culture both reflects and shapes society.
Knowledge LT 17: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.

Soundtrack: "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. Selected for today because Ladakh is located in Kashmir, India. A classic song! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/28/16:
News Brief – Jonathan F.
Grades
Class Feedback
Ladakh Final

Homework: Read the blog. Good luck on the rest of finals! See you next week! Next news brief: Jonathan B.

News Brief: Jonathan F. selected an article about this story for the news brief today: CNN.com - Israeli vulture detained in Lebanon on suspicion of being a spy. What a fascinating story! We talked about the geography of Lebanon next to Israel, and perhaps some of the paranoia there. We also discussed the Flint, Michigan water crisis and what happened there. Thanks, everyone!

Jonathan B volunteered to do the next news brief.

We forgot to watch the one minute BBC World News update in class (I was busy with trying to go quickly to give students enough time on the final). Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Grades: After the news and checking in with students about if anything fun or interesting was going on outside of class, I talked about how grades for the class (and the final) would work. Basically, the Westview Global Studies team has a general agreement to use the final to help improve student grades, instead of bring them down. That said, if there is an obvious lack of effort or knowledge, we will take that into account, as well. So, if you are an A student, you can be almost assured of keeping that grade. If you have a lower grade, the final is an opportunity to improve. I am only going to put scores in the gradebook (StudentVUE) that improve grades (so you might just see a blank grade for your final), so that I can finish grading everything by the deadline. We have a grading day on Friday (no students), so I am hoping to submit grades then.

Class Feedback: In the spirit of assessment, I asked students to provide me with some feedback about how class has been going this year so far, and what can be improved. The four questions that I asked students to anonymously answer were:

What do you like about this class? What do you think you as students are good at?

What does this class (you, as students) need to improve at?

What do you like about Mr. Fritz as a teacher? What is Mr. Fritz good at as a teacher?

What does Mr. Fritz need to improve at as a teacher?

I will show everyone the combined results from this next class, so we can learn about what is working and what could be improved. Thanks for participating in this!

Ladakh Final: This was the assignment for the rest of class. As promised, I let students use notes from the previous class(es) on Ladakh. The test itself was four questions (all the questions needed to be answered), followed by a short response essay for each one. There were five different learning target possibilities that the final addressed (written out above). I am looking forward to reading these over and assessing where you are at! If students finished early, there was time to quietly work in class.

Final grades for the semester are due by Monday morning. Thanks for your hard work, everyone! See you next week! :-)

Ladakh Final Prep - Class Recap

We finished the Ladakh documentary in class today, in which we learned that many of the people there are Buddhist. This is a famous Buddhist temple (Swayambhunath) in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo taken in 2015.

Hi everyone,

Today was our last day of preparation for the semester final, which will be later this week. I think we are generally in a good place and ready to take it! Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Communication LT 1:  I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Critical Thinking LT 1: I can explain multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
Knowledge LT 10: I can demonstrate an understanding of the connection between the physical and human systems.
Knowledge LT 15: I can explain how culture both reflects and shapes society.
Knowledge LT 17: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.

Soundtrack: "Final Hour" by Lauryn Hill. Selected for today because it is the last class before finals, and Ms. Hill references a thesis in her song lyrics.

AGENDA 1/25/16:
News Brief – Sergio
Seminar Debrief
Ancient Futures, Part 2
Ladakh Final Prep

Homework: Read the blog. Prepare for finals (see below)! Period 2 final is Wednesday at 7:45. Next news brief: Jonathan F.

News Brief: Sergio selected an article about this story for the news brief today: TheGuardian.com - Isis video threatening UK claims to show Paris attackers in Syria and Iraq. We found Syria again in our world maps and talked about the continuing violence there.

Jonathan F. was selected to do the next news brief.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Seminar Debrief: I wanted to talk a little about how the Socratic Seminar on the Rise of Hitler reading went last class. I was super pleased with how students were able to take control and lead the discussion! I also randomly chose a few students today in class to give their opinion on the activity. It did seem like the consensus was that it was worthwhile and interesting, so I will look for ways to incorporate it again in the future!

I also told everyone that the Behavior Learning Target grades for the mini-unit on the Holocaust are now in the grade book and can be looked at on StudentVUE. I think it is a good indication of where everyone is at! Thank you for participating!

Ancient Futures, Part 2: As I have been explaining in class, your final will be based on a case study of what happened in Ladakh, which is an region in India. Students will be asked to write about many different aspects of the Ladakh, using almost all of the learning targets we have been through this semester.

Here is the reading packet I passed out last class. Students were taking notes on the back page during the documentary:

Google Drive: Intro to Ladakh Readings

We watched the rest of this famous documentary, looking at traditional Ladakh.  Students are analyzing how it has changed, and how geography, culture, and structures of power play a role in the society.

This is an old movie, for sure (I remember watching it when I was in high school), and also so good at going over the themes we have been talking about all semester.

Ladakh Final Prep: Please finish your notes on the different learning targets and how they relate to the case study of the Ladakh by reviewing the reading material! Let me know if you are confused about how to prepare. See you next class, for our last class of the semester!

The Holocaust, Day 4 - Class Recap

A quote on the wall of the Miami Holocaust Memorial. Our discussion today in class had a large part to do with whether or not we believe something like this could happen again. Photo taken in 2011.

Dear class,

This was a somewhat challenging day for me as a teacher, to try and give control over to student discussion. Although there were points where it was quiet and awkward, I still think almost everyone did well and that the conversation was productive. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Knowledge LT 17: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.
Behavior LT 1:  I can manage my responsibilities as a student.
Behavior LT 2:  I can self-direct my learning.
Behavior LT 3: I can communicate and work effectively within a team or group.

Soundtrack: "Talk" by Coldplay. Selected for today because most of the class was made up of students talking about the rise of Hitler and whether or not it could happen again. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/21/16:
News Brief – Isaac
Socratic Seminar
Ladakh Readings
Ancient Futures, Part 1

Homework: Read the blog. Prepare for finals (see below)! Next news brief: Sergio.

News Brief: Issac selected an article about this story for the news brief today: BBC.com - Five SA children die 'locked in freezer'. This was a very sad story to start the day. Isaac came up and pointed out where this happened, and we talked about how it could have happened, too.

Sergio was selected to do the next news brief.

We also watched the one minute BBC World News update. Here's the link to see the latest one minute update, at any time of day (it will probably be different from what we watched in class):

BBCNews.com - One-minute World News

Socratic Seminar: This was the first time we have attempted to do this in class, and I think it went really well! I was proud of everyone participating.

This was the reading that we were discussing in class:

Google Drive - Rise of Hitler Reading

The questions and answers that I wanted the class to do in preparation for the discussion on this were:

1) What happened so that Hitler could get power?

2) Make three discussion questions (not yes or no answers) about the reading. Try to base your questions on specific quotes from the reading.

I passed out this form for assessing how the discussion and unit went, which will be graded on the behavior learning targets: 

Google Drive: Socratic Seminar Self-Assessment

I explained that I wanted the discussion to be student led and directed, and then I tried to get out of the conversation as much as possible. Overall, I was pleased with the conversation and I think you touched on some really important issues and questions! Thanks for being willing to participate. We will talk more about this next class. Of course, there were times when I wanted to jump in and provide more information or bring up a question, but that was not my role! Important for me to remember, too.

After the discussion, we finished the Behavior targets self-assessment, then moved on.

Ladakh Readings: As I have been explaining in class, your final will be based on a case study of what happened in Ladakh, which is an region in India. Students will be asked to write about many different aspects of the Ladakh, using almost all of the learning targets we have been through this semester.

To start, here is the reading packet I passed out. Students are taking notes on the back page during the documentary:

Google Drive: Intro to Ladakh Readings

Please treat this as homework. There will be time next class to finish this, and it would also be great to have ready, so you can study after the documentary finishes.

Ancient Futures, Part 1: We watched the first 10:30 or so in this famous documentary, looking at traditional Ladakh. Next class, the documentary will switch to more modern Ladakh. Students are analyzing how it has changed, and how geography, culture, and structures of power play a role in the society.

This is an old movie, for sure (I remember watching it when I was in high school), and also so good at going over the themes we have been talking about all semester.

Next class, we will finish the documentary and I will give students final prep time. I look forward to seeing everyone then! Almost there to the end of the semester!

Ladakh Semester Final - Class Recap

Congratulations! If you passed the class, you have completed a semester of Global Studies! Photo taken at Niagara Falls in 2010.

Dear class,

Today was finals day in class and, as promised, we did a DBQ style test on the Ladakh, with multiple different possibilities for learning targets to address. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
KN LT 6 - Location and Region
KN LT  11 - Human and Physical Systems
KN LT 16 - Culture
KN LT 18 - Structures of Power

Soundtrack: "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. Selected for today because Ladakh is located in Kashmir, India. A classic song! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/23/15:
News Brief – Zac V.
Ladakh DBQ Final
Quiet Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. See you next week! Next news brief: Zac V.

News Brief: Zac V. forgot to bring in an article for the news brief, so he was assigned to do it again next class. In the mean time, I talked about this story from Saudi Arabia: CNN.com - Thousands say farewell to Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah. An important country in the world, going through a difficult day. We talked a bit about how the King tried to reform Saudi Arabia, and how there are a lot of his brothers in line, waiting to become King some day.

Zac V. was selected to do the next news brief.

Ladakh DBQ Final: This was the assignment for the rest of class. As promised, I let students use notes from the previous class(es) on Ladakh. The test itself was six documents (all the questions needed to be answered), followed by a short response essay. The essay was structured to be one paragraph, following an analytical structure that Mr. Lathrop and I want you to use. There were four different learning target possibilities that the final addressed (written out above). This final could also count towards a writing process score for Mr. Lathrop's class. I am looking forward to reading these over and assessing where you are at!

Quiet Work Time: If students finished early, there was time to quietly work in class.

Final grades for the semester are due by Tuesday morning. Thanks for your hard work, everyone! See you next week! :-)

Ladakh Final, Day 2 - Class Recap

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington D.C. Photo taken in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Today was a work day and grade review in class. I passed out a reading for the Ladakh final and students worked on that in preparation. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
KN LT 6 - Location & Region
KN LT  11 - Human & Physical Systems
KN LT 16 - Culture
KN LT 18 - Structures of Power

Soundtrack: "A Dream" by Common. Selected because of the relevance to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, yesterday. I celebrated the day by going to see Selma and then picking up litter around my neighborhood. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/20/15:
News Brief – Nouri
Ladakh Final
Grade Check
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. All missing/late/make up/incomplete work due to me TODAY (by midnight - email me if you need). Please read and take notes on the Ladakh reading handout to prepare for your final! Next news brief: Zac V.

News Brief: Nouri selected an article about this story for the news brief today: NBCNews.com - Paris Supermarket Attack Hero Lassana Bathily Receives French Citizenship. What an interesting and inspiring story! I wonder if it will be the subject of a future movie?

Zac V. was selected to do the next news brief.

Ladakh Final: The rest of class was devoted to work on the Ladakh reading that I passed out to help prepare students for the DBQ final.

On finals day (here is the schedule for finals this semester), you will write a short essay on the topics you need to demonstrate proficiency on. You will have a DBQ style test - your notes from the documentary and your notes from the Ladakh reading will help you prepare!

I know this may be somewhat complicated, so I am happy to answer any questions about how it is all going to work! Basically, I just want to give you one last chance to demonstrate proficiency with the learning targets of the semester.

Grade Check: As everyone was working, I had students come up to see me, one by one, to look at your grades and what could be done to maintain or improve them on the final. For the test, everyone will do at least LT 6, because we haven't actually had an assignment graded for it yet (although we have done a lot of work with geography):

Google Drive: Ladakh Final Test Overview and Rubric

Look at your grades again carefully (as we did together in class) to determine which (if any) learning targets aside from LT 6 that you should attempt to do on the final.

Work Time: The rest of class was work time on the reading and prep for the final (yes, you can use notes from class). Remember that you work in this class may be counted as a writing process score for Mr. Lathrop, if you want, as well!

See you on finals day! Good luck!

Ladakh Final, Day 1 - Class Recap

With my friend Tyler, my mom, and my brother at the College Football National Championship Game, in Texas, on Monday!

Hi everyone,

It was SO good to be back teaching you all! We started looking at your final for the semester, which is sort of a "Choose Your Own Adventure" style piece of writing on the case study of the Ladakh. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets:
Knowledge LT 18: I can explain how and why world societies organize themselves and how power is established and maintained.
Critical Thinking and Analysis LT 2: I can explain connections between events, issues, problems and concepts.

Soundtrack: "Pride (In The Name of Love)" by U2. Selected for today because the song is about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We have Monday off of school to honor Dr. King, and I showed this website in class to encourage students to do some sort of community service on Monday (as the day has increasingly been about). Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/15/15:
News Brief – Bhavya
Start Ladakh Final

Homework: Read the blog. Check your updated grades and know what to do to improve! All missing/late/make up/incomplete work due to me by TUESDAY (1/20). Next news brief: Nouri.

News Brief: Bhavya selected an article about this story for the news brief today: NPR.org - Satellite Images Show 'Catastrophic' Destruction Of Boko Haram Attack In Nigeria. Just an awful news story. We talked in class about the lack of attention this has received, especially in comparison to the (also awful) terrorist attacks in Paris, France.

I also shared my experience in the Dallas area at the start of the week, by going through a few pictures on my Instagram account.

Nouri was selected to do the next news brief.

Start Ladakh Final: I know this was an abrupt shift from learning about the Holocaust (which we will most likely get back to after finals next week). That said, this final offers students a ton of options for making up credit and being able to demonstrate a range of proficiency standards from throughout the year so far. This is basically how it works:

1) I passed out this document, which gave the different options for learning targets on the final. Everyone will do at least LT 6, because we haven't actually had an assignment graded for it yet (although we have done a lot of work with geography):

Google Drive: Ladakh Final Test Overview and Rubric

What's great about this is that it offers a LOT of choices for students. On finals day, you will select the targets you need to demonstrate and write a short essay about the Ladakh (like a DBQ) to try and get your grade up. It is also nice, because Mr. Lathrop is going to count it (if you want) as a Writing Process score - so all the brainstorming and prewriting you do will also count towards a grade in his class.

2) After I explain the assignment, we watched this documentary on the Ladakh culture in India. I remember watching this in high school, as well - it is OLD (1993). That said, it's a really great case study for our learning targets of geography, culture, and government, as they relate to traditional and modern society. Here's the documentary to watch, if you missed class or wanted to take more notes (or had difficulty paying attention in class):

ancient futures - learning from ladakh 528x400 from Unmani on Vimeo.

Students took notes on all of the learning targets addressed in the final.

3) Next class, you will be doing some reading about the Ladakh and prepping for the DBQ. On finals day (here is the schedule for finals this semester), you will write a short essay on the topics you need to demonstrate proficiency on.

I know this may be somewhat complicated, so I am happy to answer any questions about how it is all going to work! Basically, I just want to give you one last chance to demonstrate proficiency with the learning targets of the semester.

See you next week, when we will continue preparing!