Additional Research Opportunities, Option 5, PHI Research

Season's Greetings, SPARTANS,

I hope all of you are enjoying your break. I am working on posting your "Additional Research Opportunities" (ARO), as well as your Option 5 Vocabulary on schoolandteacher.net within the next couple of days.

Remember that if you are planning on pursuing any of the ARO, you need to contact me first for approval. Additionally, any ARO must relate to the IB HOA curriculum, specifically Options 1-7 (up to the Great Depression, roughly 1929-1939). If you visit a museum, you must save and include your admission ticket. If you do not follow these directions, you risk not earning any credit for your work. I explained all of these requirements when I introduced this assignment, but I want to make sure you remember them.

If you did not get the chance to submit to me your ONE Practice Historical Investigation (PHI) Plan of Investigation/research question, please do so as soon as we return from break, or email me over break. I will do my best to respond as promptly as I can. You should be doing research over break a bit, as well. Remember, the next DEADLINE is January 13.

Pace yourself on your work, and enjoy your time off from school.


Happy holidays,

Mr. Todd

Weekend HW and Cam Library meeting

SPARTANS:

Remember that your homework for the weekend is to familiarize yourself with Chapters 23 and 24 in The American Pageant. I do not expect you to read every word, but know the subjects of the chapters and sections.

Also, in review: we are meeting at the Camarillo Public Library at or before 3pm today, 7 December. The library is near the hospital and police station in Camarillo, on the end of Las Posas where is loops around near Lewis Road.

Here is a website: http://www.vencolibrary.org/

Click on "Camarillo Library" then scroll all the way down to the "Directions" section for a map.

We will meet in the community room, inside the double brown doors inside the library. There should be a sign. We are meeting with Ms. Alyson Kaye.

See you there (or on Monday),
Mr. Todd

Update for Midterm: Cover Letter & Resume

SPARTANS,

Check out our page on schoolandteacher.net. I have posted some more detailed directions for your midterm and attached the "Action Verb List" (for you to download/print) in case you lost the copy I gave you several weeks ago.

I hope you all had a safe and fun weekend.

Surprised by Secretary Powell,
Mr. Todd

SPARTAN PRIDE

Spartans,

I just want to express my gratitude and pride for what I saw on the streets of Camarillo on Friday afternoon. I saw young people who care; young people who are engaged with the community; young people who are standing up to make a difference.

There's a long tradition at Rio Mesa, that precedes both you and I, of Spartans standing side by side, and "raising shields" high to protect what is right at our school and in the community. I saw that today on Ponderosa and Carmen by the park, and it filled me with pride. Thank you for helping to keep that powerful and ancient tradition alive.

How fortunate we are to live in a country where we can express ourselves freely. How fortunate I am to be your teacher.

Humbly and most sincerely,
Mr. Todd

New Website Established; Midterm Posted

SPARTANS,

Behold! The class website is established. Check out the following site:

www.schoolandteacher.net

Look up your class by searching for me by my last name, or by using my number, 4704.

When you find your class period, click on "Projects". You will then see a section called "Projects this month". Next, click on "Details" and you should find the Word document detailing your midterm, the Biographical Cover Letter and Resume.

Let the research begin! Choose a historical figure who impacted the western hemisphere from Precolumbian times to 1900.

Please be sure to be creative in your ideas: the person should be significant, but does not just have to be a president or a general. Think about business people, explorers, scientists, artists, writers, inventors and other innovators. Remove your thinking from the confines of the cube.

Good luck, and remember to have your three choices for figures ready by Monday. It's first come, first served, so if someone gets "dibs" on your person first, try the next one on your list.

Due date? Tuesday, 28 October.

As always, email me with any questions.

Enjoy your nachos,
Mr. Todd

Gallery Poster Assignment

SPARTANS:

In regard to the poster assignment, remember to follow directions explicitly. Here are a few reminders and suggestions:

1) "Non-Internet source" means it should not be accessed through the use of your computer! Find a book on a shelf and get to reading.

2) Make sure you are addressing 3-4 country examples if your option refers to countries in "the Americas" or "Latin America".

3) Make sure your summary is detailed and has enough background/context for your "audience" (classmates) to understand the issues.

4) In your summary, do not forget to include a timeline of events that relates to your option. The timeline should be in the format of what I call a "vertical timeline", as I described in class: date, colon, descriptive sentence. For example:

10 February 1763: The Peace of Paris ended the French and Indian War
22 March 1765: The English Parliament passed the Stamp Act
5 March 1770: The Boston Massacre

5) Make sure you are sticking to your option assignment. Do not stray from the topic or issue.

Reading Assignment Reminder for Monday, 15 September

SPARTANS,

On the whole you've been being doing a great job so far this year. There have been some bumps in the road, but those can be overcome with determination and persistence. I want to see dedication continue in your work throughout the year.

Remember that by tomorrow, 15 September, you should have read Chapters 1 and 2 in the dark green Latin America: An Interpretive History. Please be ready for discussion.

Enjoy your Sunday evening,
Mr. Todd