Full Swing

Yes, you know when Open House/Meet the Teacher Night is through and Labor Day has passed, the school year must be in full swing! I have to admit that it took just a little while to get fully in the school swing of things, but now I've dug headlong and am really excited for another GREAT year!!

Of course, it helps that we've got a full load on our plate so far in class! I'm hoping that we can use this blog to stay updated/connected so you always know what's going on in your son or daughter's class!

World Geography: This week's content has been dominated by the current climate change debate taking place worldwide. Between the IPCC, UN, and other various organizations, how do you possibly make sense of it all? We watched a portion of a documentary and analyzed both sides of the CC debate. Some students are convinced that Climate Change will result in catastrophic events, while others are sure it's a scam! A great third week for World Geography.

Economics: This week in ECON has found us analyzing the laws of supply and demand; we went to two other classes in the high school and "sold" a 30 GB iPod! Of course the laws of demand held up...everybody wanted it for a quarter. When it was $300, not so many buyers were still left!

IL History: Exciting times in Illinois History- today I encouraged my students to make a model/project for the Illinois History Fair coming up in March! We have some talented students who enjoy hands-on learning, and I think this will be the ticket! Whether it's a storyboard of Faye Rawley or a skit of the Haymarket Square Riot, these IL History students will be up to the task.

US History I: Who knew that one day could change the course of history? That is exactly what US History I students learned today when we learned about the Massacre at Mystic in 1637 when English Puritan settlers slaughtered Pequot Indians in the middle of the night, setting the stage for waves of Indian attacks in the future.

US History II: Were the big-business giants (Rockefeller, Carnegie, etc.) robber barons or rags-to-riches geniuses? How did labor unions get their start? It's been a fascinating week as we have gotten down to the era of US industrialization in the late 1800s. We finished a Carnegie Steel Empire Simulation last week, where students tried to acquire all 15 parts of the steel production process (open hearth ovens, barges, steel railroads, etc.).

Things are going fast and only speeding up! I'd love to hear your thoughts as we march at full speed into another year.

-Mr. B