Week of 9/3

6th Grade: This week, the 6th-grade students will continue with Unit #0: Intro to History by earning their Geographer hats. The focus this week will be "Think Like a Geographer." By the end of the week, students will be able to describe and analyze geographic locations using spatial language and maps. They will also learn how being present at an event in a certain location can influence a person's perspective and lead to biases. Lastly, they will think geographically by exploring important locations at St. Joseph and in Libertyville.
 
7th Grade: This week, the 7th-grade students will begin Unit #1: America Before and After Colonization. The focus of the week will be the Indigenous groups of North and South America. Students will discuss the implications of labels associated with Indigenous groups, highlighting a greater focus on their complex societal structures. Further, students will discuss migration patterns, cultural developments, and key achievements.
 
8th Grade: This week, the 8th-grade students will continue with Unit #1: Flags Around the World. After discussing flag symbols, colors, and their meanings, students will compete to create and present a new flag for a newly independent country. Following the presentations, the class will vote on which continents' flags they would like to learn about and be quizzed on. Student autonomy and choice are crucial in fostering a sense of ownership and engagement in their learning journey. I wanted to give the students a say in their study, as this can significantly enhance their motivation and interest in the subject matter. The decision will impact the entire 8th-grade class. After the vote, the focus of the class will shift that continent's flags; the choices are listed below, and the quiz will be on Monday, 9/9.
  • Flags of Africa
  • Flags of Asia
  • Flags of North and South America
  • Flags of Australia and Oceania
  • Flags of Europe
  • Flags of the World (Combines all the choices above randomly...)