9th Grade: Students will be taking a final on the Renaissance/Reformation on Monday and Tuesday. A study sheet was given out last week, and we spent several days in class studying. Students also were allowed to create a "Cheat Sheet" to help them on the test. After the test, we will be watching a video on Hernan Cortez and his conquest of the Aztecs and answering corresponding questions.
11th Grade: We will be finishing viewing the State of The Union address on Monday, and discussing. Students will have a Socratic Seminar on Friday, with questions and reading given out on Wednesday.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Changes to 9th Grade Semester 1 Grading Rubric
The following letter will be sent home with students on Tuesday, February 2nd, to explain the changes to our course's grading rubric. This applies only to my 9th grade classes, not to my 11th grade US History class 6th period. Here's the text of the letter:
TO: Students and Parents/Guardians
FROM: Mr. Larsen
RE: Blended Modern World History 9, Semester 1 Grading Procedures
DATE: January 29, 2010
SUBJECT: Change To Grading Rubric For Semester 1
Dear Students and Parents/Guardians,
In previous years, I have required students complete one to two projects during the course of Semester 1. This “Pre-Freshman Project” was created by the 9th Grade Social Studies team to allow 9th grade students to practice selected reading/writing skills. These skills are needed for the much larger Freshman Project that we will be completing during Semester 2. This year, however, the 9th grade Social Studies teachers chose to not require a Pre-Freshman Project. Instead, the team chose to teach the essential research and writing skills in other ways. As the semester progressed, the students and I focused on necessary skills such as reading critically, note taking, and summarization skills. However, I chose not to have the students take on a project to practice these skills. Instead, these skills were demonstrated mainly through daily assignments, participation in the Socratic Seminars, and through studying for several unit tests. I do not believe, therefore, that the absence of a project during Semester 1 will negatively affect their ability to complete the Semester 2 Freshman Project
As a result of not assigning a project for Semester 1, I will have to alter the grading scale for the course from the one in the syllabus published at the beginning of the course. The changes are illustrated in the chart below, and have already been altered in the Skyward system.
Changes To Larsen’s Semester 1 Grading System
Category Original Value New Value
Employability (ELSA) 10% 10%
Homework/Classwork 60% 60%
Participation/Socratic Seminars 5% 10%
Project 15% 0%
Tests/Quizzes 10% 20%
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at thomas.larsen@kent.k12.wa.us . Please know that since this is the end of the semester, it may be difficult to respond as promptly as I may wish. I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Thomas Larsen
KW Social Studies Dept.
TO: Students and Parents/Guardians
FROM: Mr. Larsen
RE: Blended Modern World History 9, Semester 1 Grading Procedures
DATE: January 29, 2010
SUBJECT: Change To Grading Rubric For Semester 1
Dear Students and Parents/Guardians,
In previous years, I have required students complete one to two projects during the course of Semester 1. This “Pre-Freshman Project” was created by the 9th Grade Social Studies team to allow 9th grade students to practice selected reading/writing skills. These skills are needed for the much larger Freshman Project that we will be completing during Semester 2. This year, however, the 9th grade Social Studies teachers chose to not require a Pre-Freshman Project. Instead, the team chose to teach the essential research and writing skills in other ways. As the semester progressed, the students and I focused on necessary skills such as reading critically, note taking, and summarization skills. However, I chose not to have the students take on a project to practice these skills. Instead, these skills were demonstrated mainly through daily assignments, participation in the Socratic Seminars, and through studying for several unit tests. I do not believe, therefore, that the absence of a project during Semester 1 will negatively affect their ability to complete the Semester 2 Freshman Project
As a result of not assigning a project for Semester 1, I will have to alter the grading scale for the course from the one in the syllabus published at the beginning of the course. The changes are illustrated in the chart below, and have already been altered in the Skyward system.
Changes To Larsen’s Semester 1 Grading System
Category Original Value New Value
Employability (ELSA) 10% 10%
Homework/Classwork 60% 60%
Participation/Socratic Seminars 5% 10%
Project 15% 0%
Tests/Quizzes 10% 20%
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at thomas.larsen@kent.k12.wa.us . Please know that since this is the end of the semester, it may be difficult to respond as promptly as I may wish. I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Thomas Larsen
KW Social Studies Dept.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Reminder: Extra Credit Opportunity
This is a reminder that the Michelangelo Exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum is closing January 30th. If you bring me a ticket to the exhibit and a brochure, and talk to me about it for a few minutes after class, you'll get easy Extra Credit!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Posting online
One of the cool thing about this blog is that I can add posts from my phone if new problems arise.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Welcome To The Blog!
What the heck is a blog, you may ask?
A blog is simply a website that allows someone to post their ideas regularly and for others to share by commenting on the various blog posts.
How will this blog be used in relation to Mr. Larsen's class?
Mr. Larsen will be allowing any of his students to log onto his blog for a variety of reasons. They can add comments about assignments such as questions or ideas, and then exchange ideas and answers with Mr. Larsen and their colleagues. They can also hold online discussions about various issues related to the class. Mr. Larsen will also be able to post information, handouts, useful or interesting links, and a whole lot more on the blog, so that his students can access them anytime they wish.
What are the basic rules for posting on the blog?
Comments on posts should be civil and on topic. Comments that are abusive, excessively negative, etc., will be deleted. Additionally, all comments should conform to all standards of the Kent School District and Kentwood High School, as well as Mr. Larsen's classroom rules. If you couldn't say it or write it at school, it isn't appropriate here! Violators of this policy may be subject to penalties that may include, but not be limited to, reporting to school authorities, blocked access to the blog, etc. In other words, be nice and be good!
A blog is simply a website that allows someone to post their ideas regularly and for others to share by commenting on the various blog posts.
How will this blog be used in relation to Mr. Larsen's class?
Mr. Larsen will be allowing any of his students to log onto his blog for a variety of reasons. They can add comments about assignments such as questions or ideas, and then exchange ideas and answers with Mr. Larsen and their colleagues. They can also hold online discussions about various issues related to the class. Mr. Larsen will also be able to post information, handouts, useful or interesting links, and a whole lot more on the blog, so that his students can access them anytime they wish.
What are the basic rules for posting on the blog?
Comments on posts should be civil and on topic. Comments that are abusive, excessively negative, etc., will be deleted. Additionally, all comments should conform to all standards of the Kent School District and Kentwood High School, as well as Mr. Larsen's classroom rules. If you couldn't say it or write it at school, it isn't appropriate here! Violators of this policy may be subject to penalties that may include, but not be limited to, reporting to school authorities, blocked access to the blog, etc. In other words, be nice and be good!
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