Week of December 16th

Happy Holidays Parents and Students!

Wow!-Can you believe it is almost Christmas vacation? Students have been working well lately, though some are neglecting to complete their homework assignments. I hope this is a successful week and the students head into holiday break feeling good about their efforts.

6th Grade Plans: Monday the students will be completing their notes on Canada's 5 regions from chapter 3. These notes are due Tuesday. Tuesday we will check their notes and students will take a partner open-note quiz. Wednesday will be an intro. to chapter 5 for students. They will be assigned chapter 5 geoterms for homework. Thursday and Friday we will work through chapter 5 together. No homework Thursday or Friday.

7th Grade Plans: Students will get back their Chapter 24 Quiz from last week. We will connect to last week's notes and students will read and take notes from sections 25.4 & 25.5. On Tuesday, students will complete a global connections assignment from sections 25.6 & 25.7. Wednesday, students will be able to use their work to take an open-note quiz on chapter 25. On Thursday and Friday students will be introduced to Chapter 26 and the Aral Sea. No homework Thursday or Friday.

Happy Holidays to you All!

Week of December 2nd

The first trimester has come to a close. Wow! What a fast start to the year its been. Monday begins the 2nd trimester.
New assigned seats will be given in each class this week. Report Cards should come home with your child this Friday, Dec. 6th.

6th Grade Plans: Monday & Tuesday: Students will actively complete their Canada & US Region Challenge 3. Students analyze thematic maps of the region and answer related challenge questions.
Wednesday: students complete Challenge 4. Thursday and Friday: Students complete Challenge 5. This is the final Challenge that assesses the students ability to analyze all thematic maps and answer related challenge questions.

7th Grade Plans: Monday & Tuesday (Maybe Weds.) Students are learning about and completing work on the influence of oil in SW and Central Asia. They will be comparing the wealth of oil and its influence on a country's Human Development Index, as well as the definition and purpose of OPEC. The week will conclude with the processing assignment which summarizes the chapter and answers the question, "How does black gold shape a region."

Happy Thanksgiving

Its a short week! and as students would call it, "a Great Week!"

6th Grade SS Plans: Students are beginning challenge classwork on Canada and the United States. There is no homework this week.

7th Grade SS Plans: Students are finishing up their mapping Quiz work on SW/Central Asia. They are also beginning chapter 24 work. No homework this week.

I am very blessed and Thankful to have all of my students in class. They are a great group of Spartan Leaders!

Plans for Week of 11/11

Student Led Conferences conclude this week. They will be held this Tuesday the 12th. Both nights, the conferences are scheduled from 4-6:30. I will be located in the middle school gym for those parents who wish to speak with me. Please speak with your child in regards to more specific conference details.

6th grade plans: Student's current unit of study, is the U.S. and Canada Mapping Lab. This is an in-classroom geography/lab component. There is no assigned homework for this week. All work is completed in class in partner groups.

7th grade plans: Students will continue mapping lab work on Southwest and Central Asia. This is an in-classroom geography/lab component. There is no assigned homework for this week. All work is completed in class in partner groups.

Week of Nov. 4th Plans

Student Led Conferences begin this week. They will be held this Thursday the 7th and next Tuesday the 12th. Both nights, the conferences are scheduled from 4-6:30. I will be located in the middle school gym for those parents who wish to speak with me. Please speak with your child in regards to more specific conference details.

6th Grade Plans: This week students will take their Chapter 2 Test on Monday. Students will be introduced to the next unit of studies, U.S. and Canada. Students will have a 50 states mapping assignment due Thursday. Thursday the students will be compiling their conference folders. Friday they will watch a video on the 50 states.

7th Grade Plans: Students are beginning their work on Southwest and Central Asia. Monday, they will complete challenge 1, due Tuesday. On Tuesday, students will organize their conference folders. Weds. students will complete challenge 2, due Thursday. Thursday, students will finalize conference materials. The week will conclude with mapping lab work on Southwest and Central Asia.

See you at conferences!

Happy Halloween Week!

Halloween Week Plans for 7th Grade SS: Students are actively working on their Ancient Egypt Papers. This paper is both an individual and group assignment. The final paper is due at the end of the hour Wednesday. Students have received instruction and a rubric for this assignment. Each individual is assigned a portion of the paper to complete and then the group organizes the final paper through Google Docs. This paper will be included in the student's student led conference folder.

Halloween Week Plans for 6th Grade SS: Students are finalizing their studies of Chapter 2, Seeing the World as a Geographer. Students are completing their reading notes on Monday (work due Tuesday). On Tuesday, student groups will organize and perform a group act it out on their assignend economic activity. Review work will begin on Wednesday and the Chapter 2 Test will be this Friday....to be honest....as a result of Halloween, the test might be postponed to Monday. (the day after Halloween probably isnt the best test day)

Plans for the Week of Oct. 21st

Congratulations students, Meap is all done! Great Job putting forth your best efforts! Now our schedule and routine will be back to normal.

6th grade SS plans: Students are working on chapter 2, Seeing the World as a Geographer. This week's lessons require students to use their geographical skills to interpret and create different types of maps. Monday thru Thursday will pertain to in-class map work and act it outs. Act it outs are simple student demonstrations of their assigned geographical skill.

7th grade SS plans: Students are learning to walk like an Egyptian. Our week begins with this old Bangles song as the students are divided into groups for the week's work. Student groups will be investigating the 7 major elements of the Ancient Egyptian Civilization. This week's work will be completed in class, there shouldn't be much homework this week.

Enjoy your week,

Mr. Toole

Happy Meap Meap! Plans for the Week of Oct. 14th

As a result of continued Meap testing, our class schedule and course requiremnts will be affected.
In 6th grade SS class: students are introduced to chapter 2. Covering sections 2.1 and 2.2. Homework assignment to complete chapter 2 geoterms.
7th grade SS class: students are finishing their work in the computer lab researching and taking notes on Mesopotamia. Notes due either Weds. or Thursday of this week. We will begin Ancient Egypt at the end of this week.

Progress reports will be sent home this Friday with your studet.

Mesopotamia Independent Project
1. Use the web sites book marked on this page to fill in all the sections of your Cornell notes about Mesopotamia. Play the interactive game when complete. The game will also help you add to your Cornell notes.
Web Sites
The Game
http://mesopotamia.lib.uchicago.edu/interactives/DigIntoHistory.html
Information
http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/16-history/257-ancient-mesopotamia.html
http://mesopotamia.lib.uchicago.edu/mesopotamialife/index.php

6th and 7th Grade SS Plans

6th Grade: Students just completed their 1st Test. The test was from chapter 1. On Monday, we will go over the test. Any student that did not score above a 70% will have the chance to make improvements and raise their grade. The remainder of the week will be spent on Chapter 2, Seeing the World as a Geographer. Students will need to complete new Geoterms and study guides in class and as homework assigned.

7th Grade: Students will receive their comparison papers back and we will work as a class to improve student's writings. Students that did not score above a 70% will have a chance to rewrite their paper for an improved score. Students will also be researching Mesopotamia online and complete and submit notes.

6th and 7th Grade Social Studies Plans

Parents and Students,

We are officially off and running. Classes are operating at full (ok, almost full) speed.

6ht grade social studies classes have been demonstrating their geographical skills working through chapter one. The students first quiz/test will be next week. See blog for update.

7th grade social studies classes have been studying early civilization with an emphasis on the Paleolithic and Neolithic Man. Students are organizing their comparative paper which is due in final form on Friday. This paper serves as a test grade for students.

Have a great week.

Mr. Toole

Week of May 2oth

8TH grade SS classes will be wrapping up their studies of the Civil War. Friday the 24th is the 8th grade Goodbye Games Celebration. Friday the 31st is the class trip to MI Adventures.

7th Grade SS classes are studying globalization of products. Students will be desinging and labeling a global product. Students will then learn the basics about the world's major religions.

Week of May 6th

7th Grade SS: Students are concluding their studies of the Nile River and its affect on the human population throughout Africa. We will begin Chapter 21 focussing on economics in Africa and the challenges developing countries face. Content vocbulary includes: division of labor, enterprise, entrepeneur.

8th Grade SS: Students will review on Monday and Tuesday in preparation for Weds. Chapter 20 Test. Reviews are given to the students on Monday. Chapter 20 Vocabulary is assigned Monday and due Tuesday. Thursday, we will begin the Civil War.

Week of 4/22

Happy Spring! We all know April showers bring May flowers, but I bet we didn't expect it to bring so much flooding. Lets hope for sunshine and beautiful Spring Days!

7th Grade SS: Students are learning about Africa. Monday, Tuesday, and Weds., students will be taking Africa countries quizzes and reading about the physical features of the continent. Thursday, many students will be at 7th grade State Band Festival. Congratulations 7th Grade Band! I know you will perform greatly! We will continue to study Africa into next week.

8th Grade SS: Students are finishing up Chapter 18: A Reform Era. We will spend the remainder of the week with Chapter 19: African Americans at Mid-Century with a focus on slavery issues and reform.

Mid-Term Progress Reports should come home with your child this Friday.

Have a great week!

Week of April 15th

7th Grade Social Studies: Students are studying countries in the former Soviet Union. They are evaluating certain countries with designated criteria, to determine if they would be a best choice for a host location for the next International GeoGames. Students are then writing a recommendation letter on their selected GeoGames Host Nation. This letter is due Wed. 17th and serves as an assessment grade. Students will next be introduced an learn about Africa.

8th Grade Social Studies: Students are finishing their studies of Chapter 15. The focus of the chapter is Manifest Destiny. Students' assessment for this chapter is creating a political cartoon about the effects of Manifest Destiny. This is due at the end of the hour Tuesday the 16th. Students then will be beginning Chapter 18 The Reform Era. Chapter 18 Vocab. will be due Thursday.

Spring Has Sprung!

Happy Pre-Spring Break Week!

7th grade students in SS class will be finishing their study of chapter 16 (transboundary pollution). Students will take an open-note quiz on Wednesday before spring break.

8th grade students in SS class will be finishing their study of Chapter 14 (Jackson era). Students will take an open-note quiz on Tuesday before spring break.


I hope you all have an enjoyable Spring Break!

3rd Trimester Begins (Week of March 10th)

We enter the final leg of this year's school race. It is difficult to beleieve we are heading close to Spring Break and then into the Spring months. I would like to wish you all the Luck of the Irish this St. Patty's season.


In 7th Grade SS classes, students are beginning their Chapter 15 Population Trends study. Students are completing vocabulary and reading notes this week. Chapter 15 Test will be sometime next week.

In 8th Grade SS classes, students are studying Chapter 14, the different worlds of the North and South (United States). Learners are actively reading and filling out a notes chart in preparation for Friday's Open-Note Quiz. Students can use their note chart and vocabulary on this Quiz.


May you be blessed with an abundance of lucky clovers!

-Mr. O'Toole

1st Week of March

Happy March!

7th Grade SS classes are preparing for their Europe and Russia Test. This test is scheduled for Wednesday. Thursday, We begin our study of Chapter 15 Population dilemas. Students will be studying how population information can help governments and businesses to plan for the future.

8th Grade SS Classes are preparing for their Chapter 12 Test. The test is scheduled for Wednesday. Thursday, students will begin Chapter 13, The Different Worlds of the North and South.

Reminder: Student Led Conferences are Tuesday night from 4:00-6:30. This Friday is the end of the 2nd trimester.

A February Full of Snow. End of February Update

Wow....February has been full of snow, and days off. We are attempting to stay on track in class. We finish the month with the following: 7th grade SS: students are studying and taking their Europe and Russia Map Quizzes. These quizzes are divided into 2 mini quizzes. Then we will review the Unit content and take the Europe/Russia Unit Content Test in the beginning of March. 8th grade SS: students are completing a chapter 12 individual reading packet. We will take grades from the packet, correct it and then review the chapter. We will test on chapter 12 sometime next week.

Week of Feb. 11th

8th Grade SS: Students will take their chapter 11 Test on Monday. On Wed. students will take an interim benchmark test this week.(this test does not affect their grade in the class. This test will provide information on what the students have retained so far this year. We will begin Chpt. 12 this week. 7th Grade SS: Students will be continuing their studies on Europe and Russia with this week's emphasis on mapping/geography. Mini-mapping quizzess will be on Wed.-Friday. Have a great week and Happy Valentine's Day!

End of January

Well.... January certainly went by quickly! 7th grade SS, students are taking a mid-term assessment. There is NO grade taken for accuracy. I am testing the students to see what information was retained from the first semester of study. Then students will begin their studies on Europe and Russia 8th grade SS, students are beginning chapter 11. Studies will focus on Washington as President, and the beginning years of our early republic.

Week of Jan. 21st

This is a shortened week for students. They have a 1/2 day on Thursday and Friday off. Teachers will be participating in curriculum development during those times. Monday is the recognition and celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Both 7th adn 8th grade SS classes will learn about the work and legacy of Dr. King. 7th grade: Tuesday, students will check and review Ancient Rome packet. Wednesday, students will recieve an Ancient Rome study guide/review. Thursday, they will take an open-note Ancient Rome quiz. 8th grade: Tuesday and Wednesday, students will review for Thursday's Bill of Rights Quiz. Thursday, students will take Bill of Rights Quiz.

Week of Jan. 14th

7th Grade SS classes have just completed studying Ancient Greece. Students will be introduced to Ancient Rome on Monday with a Natl. Geographic Video. Tuesday,Weds. and Thursday students will take notes on Ancient Rome. Friday will be a review day. Ancient Rome quiz is scheduled for Monday, 21st. 8th Grade SS students are learning about and working with the Bill of Rights. On Monday, the classes are videotaping a Bill of Rights Rap. Tuesday they will complete some classwork/homework on the Bill of Rights. Wednesday and Thursday, students will plan and videotape their ammendment videos. Friday the classes will watch the videos and review for the Bill of Rights Quiz (scheduled for Monday, 21st)

Happy 2013

I hope all of you had a blessed Holiday break. 7th SS classes are reviewing Ancient Greece and will take a Quiz on Thursday. Quiz reviews will be handed out on Tuesday. Studies on Ancient Rome begins Friday. 8th SS classes are finishing up Chapter 9. Students are studying Federalism and reviewing for the Chpt. test. Test review will be handed out on Tuesday and Chapter 9 Test will be on Wed. The Bill of Rights begins on Thursday.