Researching and Summarizing a Summer News Event

The tragic killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and the protests that followed
were among many important news events that happened this past summer. 

Researching and Summarizing a Summer News Event  As part of its summer recap on Friday, Flocabulary rapped about:

• The Brexit vote, in which the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union
• A failed coup attempt in Turkey 
• Suicide bombers attacking the Istanbul airport
• The killing of a founding member of ISIS
• The closing of many US private prisons
• A split vote from the US Supreme Court on President Obama's immigration plan
• The killings of unarmed black men, including Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, which sparked protests across the country
• The attack on police officers in Dallas
• Brazil's President Rousseff being found guilty of fraud and impeached
• US success at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro 
• The Zika virus finding its way to Miami through mosquitos 
• The death of Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor 

Your objective is to select the story the most interests you, click the link for additional information, take notes, and then write a current event summary. Locate the document Current Event Notes and Summary #2 in your Social Studies Google Classroom. This assignment will be due Friday, September 16. 

Google Mapping and The Week in Rap

Adding to Our Social Studies Google Map  Today we are going to continue adding to our newly created Social Studies Events Map. If you missed yesterday, you may want to first want to watch the tutorial video below. 

If you haven't finished pinning your story about the discovery of 'Lucy,' one of our earliest human ancestors, make sure you do so as part of the "Historical Events" layer of your Google Map. Remember to place a pin the proper location, add a title, include the text from your summary, and post a related image. You are welcome to add a distinctive icon in place of your pin to help categorize the events you will be recording throughout the school year. Check out the model below. 

Next, if time permits, pin the current event story you researched from last week's "The Week in Rap" episode, as part of the "Current Events" layer of your map. Follow the same steps: pin location of the event, add a title, include the text from your current event summary, and post a related image.  

Flocabulary: The Week in Rap Summer Recap Many important news events took place around the world over the summer. Let's review some of them with our friends at Flocabulary.

This week's episode featured a variety of important news events that took place over the last few months, including: 

• The Brexit vote, in which the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union
• A failed coup attempt in Turkey 
• Suicide bombers attacking the Istanbul airport
• The killing of a founding member of ISIS
• The closing of many US private prisons
• A split vote from the US Supreme Court on President Obama's immigration plan
• The killings of unarmed black men, including Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, which sparked protests across the country
• The attack on police officers in Dallas
• Brazil's President Rousseff being found guilty of fraud and being impeached
• US success at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro 
• The Zika virus finding its way to Miami through mosquitos 
• The death of Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor 

Start thinking about which of these news events you would like to examine in more depth. Next week, you'll have an opportunity to read and learn more about your selected event, take notes, write a summary, and ultimately pin it  to your Social Studies Events Map. 

Early Humans Quiz and Google Mapping Historical Events

Early Humans Quiz  Show me what you've learned 'Early Humans' by taking the online quiz below. The quiz is composed of 10 multiple choice questions and a short response paragraph. I will read the questions and answers to you and then provide you time to write your paragraph (you will have two topics to choose from). If you finish early, you may work on any incomplete academic work or read a book quietly. 



How to Create a Google Map for Social Studies  This year we will be using Google Maps to record both historical and current events. Watch the tutorial video featuring your favorite teacher below to learn how to get started. 

Homework  Complete the Neanderthal and Modern Humans - Venn Diagram and Current Event Notes and Summary, both of which are due this Friday, September 9.

Examining the Neanderthals and Summarizing Current Events

Video: The Neanderthals  Today we are going to continue to learn about the lives of the Neanderthals, as we add to our Neanderthal and Modern Humans - Venn Diagram, by watching a few more excerpts of the Discovery Channel documentary Neanderthal.   

Writing a Current Event Summary  Last week Flocabulary rapped about the discovery of a new star, Proxima Centauri, the spike in the price of the Epipen, the peace negotiated in Colombia between the rebels and the government, how the University of Chicago is dealing with issues of free speech on campus, the death of legendary actor Gene Wilder, and Beyonce's record setting night at MTV's Video Music Awards. Your initial objective was to take notes on your chosen topic.  

Today take some time to write a summary about your selected current event using the document Current Event Notes and Summary in your Social Studies Google Classroom. . For a reminder about what goes into writing a good summary check out the video from Flocabulary.

Your paragraph will be assessed using the rubric below. 

This assignment will be due this Friday, September 9. 

Study for Early Humans Quiz  Tomorrow you will be taking a short quiz on 'Early Humans,' which will test your understanding of how we study and make sense of the ancient past, as well as what we know about the lives of our early human ancestors and how they changed over time. The quiz will be primarily multiple choice, and may include a few short response questions as well. Please review your Social Studies assignments, as well as the Social Studies Blog entries from the past two weeks in order to be prepared.

Homework  (1.) Complete the Neanderthal and Modern Humans - Venn Diagram and Current Event Notes and Summary, both of which are due this Friday, September 9. (2.) Study for your Early Humans Quiz, which you will take tomorrow, September 8. 

'Lucy' Update and Introducing the Neanderthals

'Lucy' Update: Did she die from falling out of tree? So as to prove the point that new archaeological evidence is constantly changing our understanding of the ancient past, just this week CNN came out with a story speculating that Lucy, our early human ancestor, may have died from a fall from a tree. After reading an excerpt of the article and watching the video here, think about whether this story changes anything about your understanding of one our earliest human ancestors.

Introducing the Neanderthals The human evolution journey continues as we learn about another human species, one that many consider to be the most closely related to us: the Neanderthals. As you read from the excerpts from our Ancient Civilizations textbook below, use the document Neanderthal and Modern Humans - Venn Diagram (in your Social Studies Google Classroom) to take notes on how Neanderthals are both similar and different compared to our modern human species.

 

Video: The Neanderthals  Now we are going to continue to learn about the lives of the Neanderthals, as we add to our Neanderthal and Modern Humans - Venn Diagram, by watching excerpts of the Discovery Channel documentary Neanderthal.    

Homework  Please complete your Current Event Notes and Summary and the document Neanderthal and Modern Humans - Venn Diagram by Friday, September 9. 

The Week in Rap and a Current Event Summary

What momentous event took place took place in the country of Colombia this week?
Find out in today's episode of "The Week in Rap." 

Flocabulary: The Week in Rap  Many important news events took place around the world this week. Let's review some of them with our friends at Flocabulary.

Writing a Current Event Summary  This week Flocabulary rapped about the discovery of a new star, Proxima Centauri, the spike in the price of the Epipen, the peace negotiated in Colombia between the rebels and the government, how the University of Chicago is dealing with issues of free speech on campus, the death of legendary actor Gene Wilder, and Beyonce's record setting night at MTV's Video Music Awards. 

Your objective is to select the story the most interests you, click the link for additional information, take notes, and then write a current event summary. Locate the document Current Event Notes and Summary in your Social Studies Google Classroom. This assignment will be due next Friday, September 9. 

Exploring Human Evolution

Video: "The New History of Humanity"  The video we are going to watch today is going to both reinforce and challenge what we think we know about the evolution of our human ancestors. While watching the video, use the document New History of Humanity - Video Notes (in your Social Studies Google Classroom) to take notes on what you already know about the lives of our early humans, what information is new regarding the lives of early humans, and what questions you still have.  

 

Homework  Complete the assignment Hunter-Gatherer Societies - Cognitive Content Dictionary, which should be completed and 'turned in' by tomorrow, Friday, September 2.