Today we discussed the Reconstruction Era which followed the Civil War.  We debriefed your textbook reading then completed a brief historiography survey and then expanded our understanding of Reconstruction through a DocBlock Lit Circle.  

Tomorrow is Exam 2!  Mr. Hutchison's classes remember, due to the flub with the Blog on Friday, I will not be looking at your binders to check chapter notes, etc. until Thursday.  Also, don't forget that your next Scored Discussion is on Thursday, so be sure you are preparing for that by completing the assigned readings and pre-write activity found under Period 6.

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Today we wrapped up the Civil War with a selection of activities, including a pair of unusual DocBlocks, one over the Emancipation Proclamation and another over a personal letter my Maj. Sullivan Ballou.  Though they are not listed on the document below, they are both expected in your binder for next Tuesday's binder check.  We also examined some of the significant contributions to the war made by women and African Americans and then covered any questions you had remaining.

Monday, Chapter 16 is due!  You will have your second exam on Tuesday next week and your second Scored Discussion will be Thursday (the reading selections, etc. are posted under Period 6 on the website.)

H

The rise of discussion and the coming of the Civil War were today's topics.  We began by debriefing the last of our slavery lit circles from Tuesday.  We next analyzed a campaign poster and party platforms for the Republican Party in the 1856 & 1860 elections, then examined a set of public speeches and private correspondences from Abraham Lincoln to determine change over time and difference between privately held beliefs and public policy.  We ended the day by examining some of the secession ordinances passed by southern states to determine their justifications for secession.

Chapter 16 is due Monday!

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The PSAT exam was today so many of you were out testing.  Those remaining in class had the opportunity to look over released sample student LEQ's from College Board and to work on either APClassroom review activities or upcoming assignments.  Remember, Chapter 15 is due tomorrow and tonight you need to finish up FRQ A from Unit 5 on the AP Classroom site and finish posting your online comments to the discussion board for the last Scored Discussion.

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Today we continued our examination of the role of slavery in the antebellum United States.  We finished up our discussion over the Slave Narratives from Friday to begin, then compared those narratives to an excerpt from "Uncle Tom's Cabin."  We closed out this comparison activity by examining the differences between two different accounts of a speech by Sojourner Truth, using our analysis to get at the nature of the abolition movement and why it had limited success in ending slavery prior to the Civil War.  We ended today with a DocBlock Lit Circle over four documents expressing four different points of view on slavery. We will finish up our debrief of these documents on Thursday since the PSAT exam will take many of you out of class tomorrow.

Don't forget to register and join the AP Classroom at APCentral using the appropriate class code provided by your teacher.  Mr. Hutchison's classes need to complete Unit 5 FRQ A by 10:00pm Wednesday night.  Also due Wednesday night before 10:00 are your online comment posts on the discussion board for our last in-class Scored Discussion.  Also, don't forget that Chapter 15 is due Thursday!

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NOTE:  Your second Scored Discussion will be next week on Thursday, October 24.  The topic is Westward Expansion and the treatment of Native Americans and you will find the readings, etc. posted under Period 6 on the website.  Remember that you will also have a pre-write activity for this discussion, but since it is over two conflicting documents, the directions have changed a little, so be sure to read those under Period 6 as well!

Today was your second in-class LEQ.  These grades will go in before the end of the quarter.  All essays are recorded in the Authentic Assessments grade category, along with scored discussions and projects.

Tonight you need to finish up your notes on Chapter 14, which are due tomorrow.  Chapter 15 is Due Thursday, so keep that in mind!  

​-H

Today we touched on the issue of enslavement in antebellum America.  We started things off with a DocBlock analysis of a text from Frederick Douglass then proceeded to analyze some data on the experiences of enslaved persons.  We ended the day by analyzing and evaluating some slave narratives to bring some context to the data.  

This weekend you need to make sure that you are getting Chapter 14 notes ready for Tuesday.  Monday we will write our next LEQ's. The LEQ questions will be drawn from the topics of Indian Removal, Reform Movements, Expansion of Democracy, or Political Parties and will all focus on the skill of Continuity and Change over time.

Mr. Hutchison's classes can find feedback sheets from LEQ 1 AT THIS LINK.

-H

After having yesterday off because of a teacher workday, we returned today to our first in-class scored discussion.  The topic was the Mexican-American War, and the discussions were pretty good for a first time.  We will be clarifying expectations and rehearsing some discussion skills as we prepare for our next topic in a couple of weeks.

Your task now is to continue the discussion online.  You will all need to create one original post where you can address issues you didn't get to bring up in class or that you feel didn't come to closure in the class discussions.  You will also need to create at least THREE reply posts to others on the discussion board.  Detailed directions, including what to do if you were absent today, can be found on the discussion board.  ?You can get to the board by scrolling down to the "Discussion Boards" tile on the main page of this site then clicking the link for Scored Discussion #1.  The discussion board will close next Wednesday at 10:00 pm.

Tomorrow we will NOT be writing our second LEQ essays.  That has now been moved to Monday.  Your Chapter 14 notes are still due next Tuesday.

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We explored Manifest Destiny, Westward Expansion, and historical viewpoints on the Mexican-American War today.  We started with a detailed image analysis of the painting "American Progress" by John Gast which revealed the attitudes of mainstream America looking back at the beginnings of expansion from 1874.  We then did a DocBlock HAPP analysis of the essay by John L. O'Sullivan which introduced the term "manifest destiny."  We ended the day by examining four different historian's arguments on the Mexican-American War.  These arguments should provide you with context as you prepare for Thursday's Scored Discussion.

For Thursday, please make sure you have your pre-write completed and bring a paper copy with you to class... Scored Discussions are "no devices" times so you will need a paper copy to use and annotate during the discussion.

​Enjoy the day off tomorrow!

-H

Today we wrapped up some of our conversations over the Jacksonian era by first completing our analysis of four different historian's points of view on the expansion of democracy and Jackson's role in that expansion.  We then debriefed your reading from the weekend from Jill Lepore.  We finished up the day looking at antebellum immigration through some primary sources on the issue of Irish social status in the antebellum era and then a DocBlock HAPP over the Platform of the "Know-Nothing" Party.

Tonight you need to finish up notes on the rest of Chapter 11 and you should also be preparing for Thursday's Scored Discussion!

-H