Today is exactly 5 weeks before election day.  Students reviewed some basic facts about the US government and then read about and discussed the candidates running for senator in Oregon (Jeff Merkley and Monica Wehby). Finally the classes voted on who they would choose as senator.  If the election included Cleveland Freshman, I think it's safe to say that Mr. Merkley would win in a landslide. We also looked at the polls for Oregon and for the overall control of the Senate.

Students had the remainder of the class period to work on their French Revolution Storybooks.

Remember the storybooks are due on Thursday, which is the same day that we will turn in logbooks and take the French Revolution test.  

Today the classes talked about the upcoming test and logbook check (both on Thursday).

To help review students completed a crossword puzzle (in-class) giving them the key vocab words that will appear on the test.

As promised, students began the period by going over the previous homework assignment (Napoleon's Empire Collapses).

Next we began a project to help review all the information learned in this unit.  Students started making French Revolution Storybooks.  Follow the link for complete directions and a grading rubric.  The book are due in one week (next Thursday, October 2).

Today students read and learned more about major events in Napoleon's life (including many more details than were in the homework).  Students completed a map and a timeline of these events working together in several groups.

This is an activity that cannot be done outside of the classroom.  If students need to make-up this assignment, they need to come to tutorial.

The map/timeline took too long and we didn't have a chance to go through the homework PowerPoint, but we will on Thursday.

We started today by finishing our discussion about Scotland and looking at the results of their referendum.  I also played a brief clip: Scottish Referendum Explained for Non-Brits.

Next we discussed Napoleon's life and went over the homework (Napoleon Forges an Empire).

New homework: Napoleon's Empire Collapses.

Today the class discussed the question: "Why do we learn about the French Revolution?"

I explained my love for this period in history and also some of the ways that the French Revolution can be relevant to our modern lives.  We talked about how it is in many ways a failed revolution (they did not achieve Liberty, Equality, or Fraternity) and shows how difficult it is to create a working government.  We also talked about global inequality.  I showed a clip about Wealth Inequality in America today that makes our lives look a lot like old regime France.

Students read further about the good or the bad that came out of the French Revolution by choosing one of two articles.  They read about either the Metric System (a lasting reform of the revolution) or about Maximillien Robespierre and how he rose to power in an unassuming way.

Finally students were introduced to a current event worth following: the independence vote in Scotland.  Seeing as how the name of our academy "Cascadia" is also associated with a North-West independence movement, this is definitely something to pay attention to.

Homework: Napoleon Forges an Empire

Today we began by watching two short clips from the film Marie Antoinette.  Students saw Versailles and the way the Queen of France first arrived and then was forced to leave her palace.

Next we went over the homework (The French Revolution Bring Reform & Terror) and discussed the Reign of Terror in gruesome detail.

Finally students completed their first Document Assignment, asking them to read primary documents and make some decisions about people’s motives.  If you missing this, or if you need to finish this assignment, the questions are here, and the documents are here.  Remember that students need to use the documents to support their paragraph answer on the last page.

Students enacted the third and final simulation.  This time they were members of the National Assembly attempting to govern France.  They were repeatedly thwarted by the King’s veto until they put the king on trial and voted to have him executed.  Then they experienced a small taste of the reign of terror as Robespierre accused many people of treason.

Students picked up the simulation where they left off on Tuesday.  This time representing members of the 3 Estates at the meeting of the Estates General.  At the end of the simulation students were able to see that the Estates General failed to make any changes or create any new taxes because of the way that the 1^st and 2nd Estates were allowed to outvote the 3^rd Estate. 

Students deepened their understanding of some of the historical figures in the French Revolution by reading about either Marie Antoinette, or King Louis XVI and answering the questions at the bottom of each article in their logbooks.

Next we discussed the few vocab words that we didn't have time for on Tuesday and students were assigned a new homework assignment: The French Revolution Bring Reform & Terror.

Today we started class by adding a little bit of information to what students did as homework.  We discussed the life of Louis XIV and how his desire to be seen as an unquestionable absolute monarch led to extremely reckless spending and crippling debt in France. 

Next we did a simulation where students were divided up into peasants, nobles, clergy, and even the royal family.  Students worked to make food and then pay taxes and other fees, allowing us to see the massive inequities of Old Regime France.  At the end of the simulation, despite collecting a hug sum, the French government couldn't pay the bills, and the peasants had a food shortage.

The class ended by going over some vocabulary from the homework assignment (The French Revolution Begins).

To get students ready for our first history unit, students worked in groups discussing sources- what sources were most trustworthy and why?  I explained that as historians they will often have to consider the source when learning about the past.  We talked about how no source is perfect (until they invent a time machine) but that some are much better than others.

Students also received their first homework assignment: TheFrench Revolution Begins

Students received the Cascadia Syllabus Packet, went over common expectations, and discussed what they will be learning about in Modern World History this year.  Parents have the first homework assignment of the year to complete (a letter telling us about their son or daughter). 

Next students took a survey and did a simple geography activity where they were asked to draw the world.

Welcome to Cleveland and to Cascadia Academy!

Today students received a letter explaining all 3 academy classes (History, Biology, and English) and spent time in each class creating their own Cascadia rules.  In addition to hearing a little bit about history class, students played a simple geography game called continental line-up.