So long Civics and Economics!

I hope each of you are enjoying your summer.  The family and I had a wonderful vacation to the Western Caribbean right after we were out of school.  It was full of fun and history.  I took a walking tour in Historic Falmouth, Jamaica (click here for more information) and then I got to see the Mayan ruins of Tulum.

I also want to say good-bye for now.  I found out at the end of the school year that I will be teaching World History I (pre-history to 1500 C.E.) next school year.  However, you can follow me on http://virginiaworldhistoryteacher.blogspot.com/.

I have truly enjoyed teaching Civics and Economics.  I hope you have found this blog helpful and you continue to follow me in my new adventure!

Happy Teaching!
C

After SOL activities

I have had over three weeks after my SOL test before school lets out for the summer.  I have had to be very creative to keep my kiddos entertained and hopefully learning a few things too!

The first thing I did, from the suggestion of another Civics teacher, was have the students make an amendment booklet.  They took 7 pieces of paper and folded it in a booklet.  They decorated the front of the amendment booklet.  Then using my document camera, LCD projector and white board we read through each amendment.  I annotated each amendment and we discussed its meaning.

On each page the student wrote the number of the amendment, the year it was ratified, a short description of the amendment and a picture that correlates to the amendment.  It took four or five school days (there was a Math SOL) to complete.

Another activity that I have planned is a short American geography unit.  This past Thursday the students used atlases to label each state and then identify each state capital.  On Friday I had two more maps: one map was for selected rivers and the Great Lakes and the other for mountain ranges. Each day I have used my document camera, LCD and whiteboard to go over the answers.  On Tuesday we will read a selections about Virginia's State Parks and then answer questions about them.  On Tuesday they will have an open note quiz and then we'll play a map race.

What is a map race?  Well, a former colleague told me about them.  I used them also for National Geography Day in November.  You have classroom map on your board (or in my case I will use a computer image projected with my LCD) and then a list of 75 to 100 items on the map.  You have two challengers and then call out a place on the map.  The place could be a city, state, mountain, island, lake, river, etc.  The winner is the person who can put their finger on it first.  Then they get to face a new challenger.  The winner is the person who lasts the longest.   Teacher and student really like it!

Happy Teaching!
C

SOL Update

Wow- it sure has been a long time!  Almost two months since I have posted.  My SOL test was Monday, May 13.  I had a plethora of work to get the kids reviewed and ready for their test.  One thing that I did was make stations for the students. I went back to my teaching roots and designed this lesson.  My first few years of teaching I was blessed to have a job teaching pre-school.  I taught the 4 and 5 year olds M/W/F.  I would use stations to work on the craft, help students with fine motor skills and sharing.

So I figured I could tweak the stations for middle schoolers.  I utilized already created items in the class like our daily warm-ups and I also devised a smart board activity.  The additional stations were Mrs. Roaches' Place (click here to go to her site), creating questions from the SOLs (which were collected and graded) and a matching activity that I had made a few years ago.

First, I divided the students into five groups and then they each had 7 minutes at the stations.  The kids seemed to enjoy it.  However, if you like a classroom that is quiet and organized, prepare yourself for the noise and chaos that will ensue.  However, the kids stayed on task and turn in the questions that I asked for.  The assignment was they had to pick one page from the scope and sequence and write three multiple choice questions that had four options.

The students organized the desks into four groups (the smart board did not need a desk set).  I also needed 7 laptops (no Macs as Mrs. Roaches' Place will not run on a Mac.)  The students were free to play at their own pace at this table.

One more computer was needed for the warm ups as the warm up was on a powerpoint.  One student ran the power point while the others decided what the answer was.

The other two groups were used for the questions and then the matching.

Below are some pictures I snapped.

Happy Teaching!

C

Branch Review

It's that time of year!  My SOL test is 23 school days away.  This week the students are reviewing branches and the levels of government.  I posted earlier about TEI questions and have tried to utilize them in my classroom.  On a word doc I typed the names and functions of each of the different levels (national, state and local) of the branches.    I printed them out and cut the slips and then placed those in an envelope.

Here is the the legislative worksheet:

Local Legislative

Board of Supervisors

County

Town Council

Towns

City Council

City

Makes laws for County

State Legislative

General Assembly

Makes laws for Virginia

National Legislative

U.S. Congress

Makes laws for whole nation

House of Delegates

Virginia Senate

House of Representatives

Senate

Here is executive:

Local Executive

County Administrator

Mayor

Executes, enforces and administers laws in counties

Executes, enforces and administers laws in towns or cities

State Executive

Governor

Lieutenant Governor

Executes, enforces and administers laws in state

National Executive

The President

The Vice President

Executes, enforces and administers laws for entire nation

Senate

Here is Judicial:

Local Judicial

Local courts

Interprets laws for county and punishes law breakers for county

State Judicial

VA Supreme Court

VA District Court

VA Court of Appeals

VA Circuit Court

Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court

Interprets laws for state and punishes law breakers for state

National Judicial

The US Supreme Court

US District Court

US Court of Appeals

Interprets laws for nation and punishes law breakers for nation

I had students cycle through each branch.  After this I gave each student a copy of the worksheet you find below.  I like to have the students use two color highlighters- one color to highlight the action (make, appoint, approve) and then another to highlight the key word for the level (country, D.C., Richmond, county).   Then the student is to determine what is the name that corresponds to the branch and level.

Name: _________________________________ Date: ______________ Period: _______________

Directions: Read each sentence.  Decided which branch (Legislative, executive or Judicial) is being described.  Write  L, E, or J in the box.  Then decide which level of government is being represented.  Your choices are N (National), S (State) or L (Local).  Then name the person or group being described.

	Branch	Level	Descriptor	Name
1			They make the laws for the country.
2			They prepare the biennial budget.
3			They approve the annual budget.
4			They make the laws for Bedford County.
5			They decide if laws are Constitutional.
6			They debate laws in the General Assembly.
7			They are the Commander in chief of the National Guard.
8			The top court meets in Washington, DC.
9			The Vice President is second in line.
10			They can veto laws that affect only VA citizens.
11			They can appoint Supreme Court Justices.
12			They can declare war.
13			The middle level has no jury and only judges
14			They can over-ride vetoes for laws that affect the entire country.
15			They regulate land use.
16			They are bicameral and meet in Washington, D.C.
17			They prepare the annual budget.
18			Their main power is Judicial Review.

Happy Teaching!
C