1950's - 1990's

This week we started our final project for US History. There are three components to this project...

1. Individual Research - 48 points (due Tuesday, March 31)
-Research the six categories (people, inventions, culture, events, places, US in world) for your decade
-Find three facts for each of these categories, write a paragraph about each one.
-Fill this information in on the blank outline you received (or type if you want)
-Provide two copies of the outline, one for me and one for your group

2. Group Project - 43 points (due Thursday, April 2)
-We will discuss this in class on Tuesday, March 31

3. Individual Assignment - 25 points (due Wednesday, April 15)
-Choose one of the following (you may do both for double credit)
-Read a historic novel and pass the AR test or write a review on the card catalog (see worksheet for directions)
-Complete an oral history interview (see worksheet for directions)

**Feel free to help you child with these assignments, (especially the oral history interview). We have worked Wednesday and Thursday on research in the library and tomorrow will be a work day in class. I will explain the group project on Tuesday when the students turn in their individual research.

Wrap Up

Today we wrapped up several things in class...

1940's packet and questions
Yellow journals from the great depression activity
Study guide (crossword puzzle) for 1900-1949

We have an open notes test on Monday, the study guide will tell the kids what will be on the test. This test will be one of the final grades this quarter, since it's worth 40 points it could be very helpful! Enjoy your weekend.

30's and 40's

We are winding down our 1930's simulation. The most common question I am getting is, when are the stocks going to go back up? Today we started some information on the 1940's. We will continue with this information tomorrow as well as work on a study guide for 1900-1929 and 1930-1949.

The students have an open notes test on Monday, March 23. They will be allowed to use any information they have except the study guide. End of the quarter is Friday, March 27th so this test could be very helpful for the students. Enjoy the weather, I know I am and my classroom is finally starting to warm up!

1931

Today was 1931...stocks continue to drop and our banks are near failing. Truck drivers, factory workers, miners and farmers are all feeling the impact of the depression as their pay drops or they are out of work.

We will finish this activity by the end of the week. Some days we are also working on other information from packets. On Monday, March 23 we will have an open notes test on 1900-1949, a study guide will be given out this week.

The Great Depression

Today the depression started to affect employment. Truck drivers pay was cut in half, miners are down to working 4 days a week, farm prices are dropping and factory workers are unemployed. Today most of the students were still able to make payments and buy groceries, however, our bank is starting to run out of money.

There is an assignment for Monday. The students were given a packet on the 1930's and have some questions to answer on the very last page. This assignment will be for credit and will be used when we take our test on the 1900-1940's so it's important that they complete it. Enjoy your weekend. (I've got a birthday party to throw for my daughter...she's 5!)

Great Depression

Each day when the students come into class they complete the following tasks...

-collect pay
-buy groceries
-pay bills
-complete chance card
-read newspaper, answer questions, write in journal

Today (1929) the stock market crashed. Most students were still able to pay their bills and buy groceries, however I think the next few days may be more difficult. I did have a few students who bought up plenty of stock today, but most of these students are single with no family so their bills are much less. (Tomorrow the great depression will start to affect employment.)

Great Depression

Whew! What a day today. Each of the students was given a job, along with a family, salary, and expenses based on the late 1920's-1930's. Each day in class the students will read a newspaper with the news from a different year, based on the information in the newspaper their salary and expenses could be affected.

We started today with 1927. Charles Lindbergh is the first man to fly non stop across the Atlantic Ocean. Ford announces its new automobile - the Model A. Silent movies become more popular. We also listened to some jazz music from the era.

Each day students will journal about their day and answer questions about the newspaper articles. Some students were surprised that they had to pay more for groceries if they had more kids!

US History

For the past week we have been working on U.S. History. So far we have covered 1900-1929 and we watched a little bit of Titanic too! Today the students created a timeline for the 1920's. Next week I am hoping to do a Great Depression simulation. It will be the first time I have done it, so hopefully it works out right! We will continue U.S. History up to the 1940's, then the students will be doing research on the remaining decades. I will post more on that project as it gets closer. Don't forget about conferences! I had a pretty good turn out last night, you can also come and see me on Thursday night (4-8) and Friday morning (8-12). Hope to see you!