7th Grade AEP SS Blog Spot

Investing in Stocks

2010-04-18T13:29:00.001-04:00

When investing in a company, what would you look for?

Bike Ride Fundraiser for Autism

2010-04-07T14:19:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone,

On May 16 I will be bike riding 25 miles to help educate Autism Awareness. With your help, I am trying to raise $500. If your family would like to pledge my ride I would greatly appreciate it. Just click on the link. Thank you very much! Donate here.

Get Healthy and Help Someone Eat a Healthy Meal

2010-04-05T18:36:00.002-04:00

I truly care about people eating healthy and living a healthy life. Unfortunately, there any many people of all ages who don't take care of their bodies. I am asking the families of my students to take a pledge to eat healthier. I LOVE the Biggest Loser and for those who know me know I love to workout and play sports. The Biggest Loser has a program called Pound for Pound where the corporation will donate 14 cents to a local food shelter for every pound you pledge to lose. You have to be 18 or older to pledge. Its an honor system. You pledge to lose the # of pounds you wish and they automatically donate money to the closest food shelter from your zip code. You do not have to check in or weight in, just keep the promise to yourself that YOU WILL work hard to lose the weight because it is feeding someone who can't. We can all make a difference in our lives and in others. Please visit the website to learn more and bug your parents, families and friends to take the pledge too. I would offer extra credit if you do this but the biggest reward is helping yourself and someone who can't. Post a comment to let us know if you or someone you know pledged!! No need to announce the pounds though. Thanks everyone. This means a lot! The website is http://www.pfpchallenge.com/

Gettysburg

2010-03-21T19:19:00.001-04:00

For the next 2 weeks, we will be studying the Battle of Gettysburg. Please visit this blog and write a 5 sentence review of one thing you learned about Gettysburg. http://www.visit-gettysburg.com/gettysburg-blog.html

Battle of Bull Run/Manassas

2010-03-13T13:45:00.003-05:00

In your own words, describe the Battle of Bull Run. Where did it take place and when? What were President Lincoln's original plans for the first land battle of the Civil War? Why was capturing and defeating this area important?

What if?

2010-03-08T20:34:00.001-05:00

How do you think the Civil War would've been different if Robert E. Lee accepted President Lincoln's offer to be the General of the Union Army? (Lincoln's first choice really was Lee)

Blog Analysis

2010-02-26T10:10:00.004-05:00

Check out http://housedivided.dickinson.edu/blog/. A Blog Divided is a blog about the Civil War. Visit it and explore. Explain one thing you read and found interesting.

Compare and Contrast Strategies

2010-02-22T18:59:00.003-05:00

Compare and contrast the Union war strategy during the Civil War to the Confederacy's strategy. Think Anaconda Plan vs. Defensive/Overseas help

Analyzing Photographs

2010-02-15T13:26:00.001-05:00

Dead Soldiers - Matthew Bradely

For your culminating activity for the 3rd Marking Period. You are going to choose one of Matthew Bradely's photgraphs he took during the Civil War and compose a news article based on the event that took place in the picture.

What headline would you give this photo? Are they Union or Confederate soldiers? What is the setting? What took place here?

Snow Day

2010-02-11T00:44:00.002-05:00

Submit Pics here!!! Snow angels, snowman and sleigh riding pics! Only problem is we are going to go to school until the end of June. Now you are all stuck with me a few more days!!! HAHAHAHA Enjoy! See you Friday.

Civil War

2010-02-08T14:37:00.001-05:00

How might things be different today if the South had won the Civil War?

Intro to the Civil War

2010-02-01T05:59:00.001-05:00

The Civil War seperated a country from 1861-1865. What were some issues that led to this break in the Union?

How about them JETS?

2010-01-18T00:39:00.001-05:00

No blog this week. GO JETS!

Indian Removal Act

2010-01-11T19:16:00.001-05:00

What are your opinions/feelings regarding the Indian Removal Act?

New Year, New You

2010-01-04T19:04:00.000-05:00

To better your life, what is your New Year's resolution?

Three Branches of Government

2009-12-07T18:03:00.001-05:00

Choose 1 branch of government and write a 5 sentence summary explanation of that branch.

How awesome is this? I'll explain tomorrow :)

2009-11-30T21:31:00.001-05:00

MP 2 Blog #1

2009-11-27T09:08:00.000-05:00

What do you think were some of the challenges the United States faced after the American Revolution?

No blogs for the next two weeks :)

2009-11-16T22:05:00.000-05:00

Woohoo!

I Need Your Help

2009-11-08T11:28:00.003-05:00

So now I need your help. For my grad class, I have to create a digital story. I have Windows Movie Maker to create my story but I have no idea how to do it. I need a few of you, maybe 2 to 3, to help me with this assignment. You will be my teacher and help me get an A+. I only need students who really understand and have created digital stories several times before. Please let me know if you are one of these students and send me a copy of your best digital story/movie you created. Lunch is on me :) Extra credit will be offered for those who help. Remember, only 2-3 students who submit examples of their digital movies. My assignment is due November 20th so I would like to start asap. I need to choose a concept first but check this out. Below if my assignment:

Digital Story

Choose a concept at the grade level of your choice (e.g. 4th grade Social Studies). Then, create a lesson in which your STUDENTS create a digital story (e.g. Create a digital brochure of a NJ County using Photostory 3 or Create a slideshow of the major art works during a class trip to a museum).

Your project must include:
A description of the lesson/unit (150-250 words) posted to your website (under Project #3)
An exemplary sample--a model of the digital story that you create to demonstrate to the students how theirs should look. (You are doing your own assignment).
A list of resources used to create the project, formatted in APA Style. (Credit all photos and music. See below.)

Possible topics include video story (children’s book, biography), tour (school, distance place, local history), news feature (international, national, local), etc.

There is no rubric for this project. You have the freedom to create the lesson to suit your needs. Be sure to have the three components listed above and have it linked to your website on the internet.
PLEASE NOTE: You may need to upload your digital story to another hosting site like youtube, teachertube, photobucket , Slideshare, mediafire, google video, or bloglines and link to it from your home page. Some sites do not support some video formats or do not allow large media files to be uploaded. Check the site’s HELP menu. For more video sharing sites, see:
http://www.dvguru.com/2006/04/07/ten-video-sharing-services-compared/
For a thorough explanation of video formats, see: http://websitehelpers.com/multimedia/video.html

To change the file format, try a free online file conversion site like: http://www.zamzar.com/

The technology you use depends upon your computer’s operating system and what you want to accomplish. I suggest you look at the tools listed below and see what each can do.
Mac Users, consider imovie.. Both are free with the ilife suite of products on your Mac. Apple offers these tutorials. Here is another step-by-step tutorial. Also, look at this tutorial:
http://dgrice.blogspot.com/2008/02/imovie-08-photostory-for-mac.html
Windows XP Users, consider Photostory 3 (free download) for photograph editing, or Moviemaker 2 (free download) for video clip editing. Microsoft offers tutorials for Photostory 3 as well as tutorials for Moviemaker.
This tutorial will also help with Photostory 3.
Another tutorial for Moviemaker is here.
Windows Vista Users, consider Photostory 3 (free download) for photograph editing or Moviemaker 2.6 (free download) for video editing. Microsoft offers tutorials for Photostory 3 as well as tutorials for Moviemaker. Yes, these programs work with Vista, despite what you might read. J
This tutorial will also help with Photostory 3.
Another tutorial for Moviemaker is here.
Resolutions:
When you upload a movie to YouTube it is converted from whatever
resolution you used to a flash movie of 320x240 resolution.

So, when you make your movie with iMovie or another program, set the
output resolution to 320x240, This will cause the loss of resolution to
happen on your end and the difference won't be as bad. Then when you
upload, YouTube won't touch the encoding.

See this thread for more info:

http://tinyurl.com/5wfexk and this one as well-- http://tinyurl.com/5ey7wr

APa Guidelines for Citing Images
Basic Format for an Electronic Image
Author (Role of Author). (Year image was created). Title of work [Type of work], Retrieved Month Day, Year, from: URL (address of web site)
Basic Format for an Electronic Image (No Author)
Title of work [Type of work]. (Year image was created). Retrieved Month Day, Year, from: URL (address of web site)
Basic Format for an Electronic Image (No Author, No Title, No Date)
(Many images found on the Web are of this category, but you should still look for this missing information: try clicking on the image, and/or looking at the bottom of the image.)
[Subject and type of work]. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from: URL (address of web site)
Specific Examples
Kulbis, M. (Photographer). (2006). Men pray [Photograph], Retrieved April 12, 2006, from: http://accuweather.ap.org/cgi-bin/aplaunch.pl
Japanese Geisha [Photograph]. (2006). Retrieved April 10, 2006, from: http://www.bergoiata.org/fe/divers28/10.htm
[Unititled photograph of a baby chimpanzee]. Retrieved April 12, 2006, from: perso.wanadoo.fr/jdtr/struc/chimp3.htm

· Aruba. Personal photograph. August 30, 2009

Blog #9 Use of Technology

2009-11-05T16:59:00.003-05:00

How do you feel about the use of technology we have done thus far in Social Studies? Google Docs? Wikis? Has integrating technology made SS easier? Harder? More enjoyable? Annoying? Be honest :)

Blog #8 Predictions

2009-11-01T07:29:00.002-05:00

Who do you think will be our next Governor? Will Corzine continue or Christie step in?

Blog #7

2009-10-23T20:41:00.001-04:00

What do you think are Jersey City's biggest issues? How can the citizens of Jersey City work to change these issues?

Week #6

2009-10-17T10:32:00.001-04:00

If you could change anything about your life what would it be and why?

Week # 5: Current Progress in Social Studies

2009-10-11T13:47:00.004-04:00

Since progress reports are being distributed this week, I would like for you to discuss how you feel about your current progress in 7th grade AEP social studies. Things to think about (are you excelling, struggling, both, interested, not interest, how could you improve and what is your plan to pass my class) Good luck! Remember, first name, last initial and group.

Week 4 Blog

2009-10-03T22:24:00.004-04:00

How do you think American history would have been different if Britain had won the American Revolution?

Farcebook

2009-10-01T21:05:00.007-04:00

Week 3 Blog

2009-09-25T23:22:00.007-04:00

Slavery: Indentured Servants

1. Compare and contrast the differences and similarities between a slave and an indentured servant. Read the attached document (found in your homework assignments on my website). This document is a primary source from the time of slavery. A primary source is a direct, first-handed account of the person. This document is a letter that was sent home from an indentured servant to his family. Go to my website and click on "homework and events" to find the letter. Download the paperclip that says indentured servant letter. After you read the letter, blog your feelings about the article and answer the questions here.

Week 2 Blog

2009-09-20T20:13:00.037-04:00

Hi all, just a reminder, make sure your answer is thoughout and you check your comment before posting it. Make sure you type your first name, last initial and group. This makes it easier for my to log grades in. Please make you you comment under the correct blog.

Governor Race in New Jersey

On November 3rd, 2009, the citizens of New Jersey ages 18 and older will vote for who they want to represent New Jersey as Governor. Our current Governor is Democrat John Corzine. Corzine is running against Republican, Chris Christie. You may have seen their commericals on t.v. hoping to gain your support. Read below for this week's participation grade.

Chris Christie, Rep. John Corzine, Dem.

1. Research the term "political mudslinging."

2. Below are two commercials I found on YouTube. I want you to view both videos and comment on how each candidate running for the next Governor of New Jersey publishes commericals about the other that involves "mudslinging."

3. Question: a.) What is your thought on mudslinging? b)How does each commerial attack the other candidate? c.) Have you seen any other commericals that promote mudslinging?

Video 1: Chris Christie vs. John Corzine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewUYF298qKI

Video 2: John Corzine vs. Chris Christie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l57FQlbW2Q8

Blog Topic Week 1: Write a brief introduction about yourself Due 9/18

2009-09-05T10:23:00.001-04:00

For week 1's blog topic, you are to introduce yourself in a paragraph or less. Do not add your response by replying to a student's comment, add it by responding to my post. Continue this throughout the entire year. Good luck!

To The Students

2009-09-05T10:09:00.000-04:00

Hey all, Part of your classroom participation grade will be to discuss the blog topic of the week here. Failure to blog about the topic will hurt your participation grade. Please make sure you stay on top of your weekly blogs! There are some rules about using this blogger.

Rules
1. Keep it professional.
2. No street lingo,swearing, bullying, etc.
3. Every student must blog once a week. When you blog, you must put your first name and last inital along with your group letter on it so i know who to give credit to. NO NAME NO CREDIT! Do not come to me and have me search for your blog to receive credit. You may comment on each other's blog as well. It is suggested :)
4. Spelling and grammar does count so make sure you check your work before posting.
5. Have fun and please report any foul activity to me asap at Sirotiak02@aol.com and dsirotiak@jcboe.org. Parents are allowed to blog too!

Failure to follow these rule will lead to an automatic zero for the marking period in class participation and you will be written up. I will check the blogger several times throughout the day. Have fun.. isn't technology great? woohoo