Hi all!
This quarter has seemed faster than any I can remember! The results of the DDI quizzes in both 7th and 8th grades were very positive-- the average score in both grade levels was in the low 80s, percentage-wise. I was very pleased with those results.
7th graders were tested over major concepts of the 1920s U.S. history, while 8th graders were tested over major concepts of the 1950s, both U.S. and world history as it relates to the spread of communism and communist dictatorships.
Here's where we're at in Social Studies:
7th:
7th graders have been engaged in a stock market simulation for the past week; students designed inventions/products and created advertisements for their products, then simulated the trading floor of the stock exchange, recording how much money was invested in their company, and how much money they invested in other peoples' companies. Today we revealed which businesses failed and which succeeded, with a majoring of students losing money to simulate "The Crash of 1929", which led to the Great Depression.
8th:
8th graders recently completed a readers' theater piece about General Douglas MacArthur and the Korean War; for the remainder of this week we'll be learning about JFK's presidency, with particular attention to how it related to the Cold War, focusing on the Bay of Pigs Invasion and Cuban Missile Crisis; along with that we'll be learning about Castro and Khruschev.
Next quarter in 7th grade we'll finish up our study of the Dust Bowl, Great Depression, and New Deal, and end the year with WW2; in 8th grade next quarter we'll wrap up our look at the early Cold War and focus more on the social movements in the U.S. during the 1960s and 70s, including the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War era.
Please remember that an optional Sexual Education Seminar will be offered at Paideia over Spring Break; this is open to all 7th and 8th grade students and requires a signed permission slip from a parent/guardian.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Thanks!
Leah Hood
