Friday, September 28, 2012

Imminent Domain



We started off our morning with a discussion on Imminent Domain. We looked up words to help us better understand and as they slowly started to figure what it meant then I could see the wheels turning on their thoughts. 

 They commented on how that’s what the government did with the native Americans. I wanted them to see this video but the wifi there blocks you tube ugh! I know so here it is for all to see. 

We continued the day with a great simulation about imminent domain. I had them put their heads down as I handed them their characters. 

 Some stayed very quite and didn’t really participate but they were generating an opinion. Some fought against the idea. There were some very heated moments that turned into a debate at times.



  Did the United States have the right to claim Native American Territory, sell it to settlers, or to the railroad?
When it came down to the vote it was passed that the US should use imminent Domain to take lands for building of the railroad.

We closed the class with an Oregon trail/ pioneer game. We didn't get to finish so we will be playing it again. They really were just getting into it. We stop at various campsites as we travel west and depending on the number they dice they either lose or gain a supply. Can get a little bit competitive!

I still have to learn how to photograph a few anti photo people in this group. Oh I will get them! 
maybe we should all take notes from the photo bombing expert!
 
 Questions to ask yourselves or your scholars (depending on who is reading this :
  1. ·         Do you feel peace could have been made between Native Americans and the                    settlers?
  2. ·         How would the US be different today if the US had honored their treaties with Native Americans?
  3.  Do you think imminent domain was necessary? Is it Constitutional?
  4.    Is imminent domain practiced today?     
·      
HOMEWORK:

The book, Oregon Trail, is due next Thursday (October 4th)..If finished start reading In the Shadow of the Alamo book.

PRESIDENT REPORTS: PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATES:

Biographical reports. Report interesting facts that show how he helped or hindered US growth, ingenuity & innovation.
 
10/4   James K. Polk - SISTER de Guzman
10/11  William Harry Harrison - MERIDIAN
10/18 James Monroe - GABE
10/25 George Washington - MATTHEW 
11/1 James Madison - KADEN
11/8   John Adams - KENSINGTON
11/15 Andrew Jackson - AMMON
11/29 James Buchanan - NADYA
12/6   Millard Fillmore - NICOLAS
12/13 Martin Van Buren - LAMONI

Till we meet again!

Sister de  Guzman
Sister Tollestrup

Thursday, September 20, 2012

innovation and ingenuity is in us all

We had a great week this week.  It was all about innovation and ingenuity. We started by having the kids show their Dioramas.  

Ammon had an edible version, Gabe had the shire and Lamoni showed off his barn. 

 Matthew said it was put together last minute but it looked amazing, good job! Hunger Games for Meridian.
 Kaden took us out of this world while Preston used the Tardis to travel through time.


 Good job Ladies I loved hearing all about them even though you didn't like the photo ops.
  
They were awesome!  It was great to see the kids creativity at work.

We had the kids look up
Innovation & Ingenuity
Ingenuity is “the quality of being cleverly inventive or resourceful; inventiveness: a designer of great ingenuity; cleverness or skillfulness of conception or design: a device of great ingenuity.” (www.dictionary.com)
Innovation is “something new or different introduced; the act of innovating; introduction of new things or methods.” ( www.dictionary.com).  They had to put that in their own words in a group and present it to the class.  There were 3 judges to make sure they got it right.  :)

We wanted to see how the students would demonstrate their own ingenuity and innovation so the students were asked to create something new out of a bag of random Legos.  They all did a great job and we had some very interesting innovations! 




 We later talked about how creative they were able to be without restraints and regulations to their creativity.




We discussed some major inventors and inventions in our time one of them being Eli Whitney’s cotton gin.  It was one of the key inventions of the industrial revolution and shaped the economy of the southern states and was one of the reasons that slavery grew so rapidly.   Eli also created the use of interchangeable parts in muskets and other firearms and changed how the U.S. prepared for and fought wars.

We watched a video on the industrial revolution and how it changed the lives of
many in the U.S. (and in Europe). Those changes still effect us today.
We discussed the good and bad that came from the industrial revolution and the regulations that were put in place to protect the people.  We then tied it into the lego building and how sometimes regulation is good and sometimes it stifles creativity.
We then had an on the spot debate about whether the government should form a committee to monitor new inventions/discoveries and to limit (regulate) them in order to protect the safety and welfare of all citizens?   There was an interesting back and forth and hopefully they are learning the proper way to debate.  In the end the key word of freedom was brought up.  Regulations can take away some freedoms however we do need regulations to keep us safe.

We ran out of time to watch a DVD on Marie Curie.  If you want to have your student watch it you can borrow my copy - here is a  preview link.  It is the Nest Animated Hero Classic Marie Curie video.

We finished with the timeline cards.  There was  a little confusion about the order of the timeline cards.  The order is below.  Please show them to your scholar so they can begin to practice.  They should NOT put the dates on their timeline cards.  Whoever can put them in order fastest next week will have a reward!

US Constitution Ratified (1787)
George Washington President (1789-1797)
Eli Whitney invents cotton gin (1793)
Eli Whitney invents interchangeable parts for muskets (1797)
John Adams President (1797-1801)
Thomas Jefferson President (1801-1809)
Louisiana Purchase (1803)
Lewis & Clark begin expedition (1804)
Lewis & Clark return from the west (1806)
Robert Fulton invents regular steamboat service on the Hudson River (1807)
James Madison President (1809-1817)
US Declares war on Britain (1812)
James Monroe President (1817-1825)
Industrial Revolution begins in U.S. (1820)
Samuel Morse invents telegraph (1836)
Elias How invents sewing machine (1844)


HOMEWORK: 

The Morality of New Inventions & Discoveries:
Research an invention or discovery from any time period that involved some controversy (mentors will provide ideas if needed). Choose a side of the controversy and write a persuasive paper supporting your side. For example: Animal Lab Testing – argue for or against such testing or argue under whatcircumstances is it acceptable/ not acceptable

Keep reading The Oregon Trail - book discussion 10/4

PRESIDENT REPORTS: PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATES:

Biographical reports. Report interesting facts that show how he helped or hindered US growth, ingenuity & innovation.

9/27   James K. Polk - SISTER TOLLESTRUP
10/4   SISTER DEGUZMAN
10/11  William Harry Harrison - MERIDIAN
10/18 James Monroe - GABE
10/25 George Washington - MATTHEW 
11/1 James Madison - KADEN
11/8   John Adams - KENSINGTON
11/15 Andrew Jackson - AMMON
11/29 James Buchanan - NADYA
12/6   Millard Fillmore - NICOLAS
12/13 Martin Van Buren - LAMONI

We love teaching your students!

Rachel & Angel