8th graders who are looking for an opportunity to earn some significant enrichment credit in History class can read the tremendously interesting article from American Heritage magazine entitled The Measurement That Built America by Andro Linklater, and then answer the questions that follow here. The article is on the importance of the Ordinance of 1785, which called for the surveying and division of the land north of the Ohio River, in the shaping of America and the far reaching effects that it has had on many facets of American life.

Reading Questions - Answer these in paragraph form on loose leaf paper. Use examples to support you answers.

1. What was the experience of the surveyors like as they measured out the western lands? Describe the tools available to them.

2. What were some of the most important effects, intended or unintended, of the Ordinance of 1785 and, later, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787? Use evidence from the article to support your answer.

Below are some general reminders about our upcoming celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation:

Confirmation Rehearsal is Wednesday, February 15. Candidates and sponsors must be in Marian Hall no later than 6:45 pm. The rehearsal will be over by about 8:00. Parents may stand in for the sponsor if the sponsor is unable to attend.

The Confirmation Retreat is Friday, February 17 from 8:30 – 2:30. Students will need to be dropped off and picked-up from the Whetstone Park shelter house. More information will be coming home on the permission slip.

Confirmation is Sunday, February 19 at 3:00pm. Candidates and sponsors must be in Marian Hall no later than 2:40 pm. Any parent who is a Eucharistic minister and who is interested helping out at the mass should email me. Older siblings who are altar servers are also encouraged to serve the Confirmation mass. We still need two.

Dress Policy
The dress policy for Confirmation is the same for graduation later in the year.

Girls: Girls must wear a dress, or skirt and blouse, appropriate for church. Dresses may not be strapless or have spaghetti straps. Girls must wear dress shoes. It is best to wear a hair style off of your forehead to make it easier for the bishop to anoint the candidate.

Boys: Boys must wear a white dress shirt with a tie, and dress pants with a belt. Dress shoes and socks are also required. A suit or sport coat are optional. Please make sure hair is off the forehead so that the bishop can anoint the candidate more easily.

As always, please feel free to contact Mr. Kersey with questions.

Both my 7th and 8th grade social studies classes have projects that they are currently working on. Below are some helpful reminders.

8th Grade: You can find a copy of your Revolutionary War Game project directions here: Revolutionary War Game Project directions. The project is due January 9, 2012.

7th Grade: You can find a copy of your Amazingly Cool Charlemagne Project directions here: Amazingly Cool Charlemagne Project directions. Your project is due January 4, 2012. The reading quiz portion will be collected at the end of class on December 16, 2011.

One of the big moves in education today is to try to get teachers to use formative assessments in their classrooms so that instruction can be driven by what students most need to learn or review. Fancy teaching jargon aside, formative assessments are something that good teachers have been using for years and years. Formative assessments are meant to gauge a student's progress or understanding of a topic or concept without being graded. They are used to help the teacher understand which areas a student may need to revisit and which areas a student may already have mastered. If you are reading this and thinking, 'Well duh, that's obvious,' then you're not alone. It seems obvious that teachers should be using these sorts of evaluations on a daily basis. You would also be surprised at how many teachers don't do this correctly. Taking grades on homework, for example, or giving points just for doing an assignment are all very common, but are technically not in line with the principles of formative assessment.

Summative assessments, on the other hand, are usually what one might think of when they think about assessment. Summative assessments include the traditional tests, quizzes, and projects that teachers use to evaluate student progress. These assessments are graded and do affect the student's grade for a class. Using good summative assessment techniques is every bit as important as using effective formative assessments. Together, these tools allow teachers to properly evaluate a student's learning and mastery of the material. They can also be used to guide a teacher's focus in terms of instruction.

For more information on formative vs. summative assessments, check out this article from the Association for Middle Level Education.

The other day I was demonstrating a note taking strategy for my 7th grade World History students. As part of the demonstration I took notes as if I were a student, and then I showed them to the class. For those students that want to view them again, just click on the links below. These will take you to Google Docs, but no sign in will be required.

World History Chapter 7 Section 2 Sample Notes - Page 1

World History Chapter 7 Section 2 Sample Notes - Page 2

World History Chapter 7 Section 2 Sample Notes - Page 3