Thursday - September 19, 2013

7th Grade: 
Writing Prompt today instead of DOL
1/2 page (or more) about the following: 

• On this day in 1830, the first locomotive, the Tom Thumb, lost a nine-mile race with a horse - between Riley's Tavern just outside Baltimore, Maryland, and a spot inside the city.  In fact, a boiler leak kept the train from ever finishing the race.  So the "Iron Horse" (and early nickname for trains) was outpaced by a horse!
• Prompt:  Think for a moment about life in America in the 1700's.  Now think about life today.  How many different kinds of things do we use that weren't available to our ancestors?  How have these devices changed your life?  Write about a few that have had the biggest impact on your life. 

We went on to discuss the dreaded RUN ON sentence, and his evil sidekick, Comma Splice!  No homework - Yet.  More on this to come tomorrow.

8th Grade:
Writing prompt today instead of DOL
Write 1/2 page (or more) about the following prompt:

• On this day in 1783, the Montgolfier brothers sent up the first air balloon with live creatures on board:  a sheep, a rooster, and a duck
• Prompt:  Why do you think the Montgolfier brothers sent up animals before they tried to go up in the balloon themselves?  Do you think this was fair?  How does this tie in with our reading "Algernon" in the textbook right now?  Due Friday.

We read through page 62 in Flowers for Algernon in class today.  No additional homework.


10th Grade:
Writing prompt today instead of DOL
Write 1 full page about the following prompt:

• Mickey Mouse was introduced for the first time on this day in a 1928 cartoon called "Steamboat Willie" at the Colony Theater in New York.
• Prompt:  What is it about Mickey Mouse that has kept him popular all these years?  Discuss his qualities and attributes as you see them. 

We finished reading Act I Scene 2 in Julius Caesar.  We will read Act 1 Scene 3 tomorrow and have a test on Act I on Monday. 

History: 
Discussion of 2 articles from the internet
1.  Can the State of New Jersey force a lower court judge to give up his part time job as a comedian?
2.  Can the ACLU sue to force a school in California to allow a transgender (born a boy) student to use the girl's bathroom?  He is claiming his/her? rights have been violated.

Continue power point on Spanish Colonization and Conquest of the New World.  Look up 5 countries in the Caribbean, Central, or South America on the CIA World Fact Book website.  https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/  Find the demographics section (listed under "people and society") on these countries and report back on the percentage of residents of African vs European or Indian blood. 

Homework:  Read pages 49-58 in the history textbook on European colonization in the Americas.  Read My Brother Sam chapters 6 & 7 for class on Monday.  Be prepared for a quiz over both readings on Monday when class starts.