Caggia Social Studies - WH

Week of 04/14 - 04/18

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 14:49:00 +0000

A short and simple week for World History. After our test on Unit 2B: The Middle Ages, we will get involved in the Renaissance and the Reformation (Unit 3). Thursday we will have a quiz on section 13.1, it will be a basic quiz of matching and multiple choice questions. The homework will NOT be allowed during the quiz.

I must begin to warn parents and students about the vocabulary quizzes. They should be easy grades but seem to be a challenge for some. I strongly suggest students review their vocabulary EVERY NIGHT with their homework. Doing so will make the quizzes and course all the easier.

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

Week of 3/10 - 3/14

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 00:59:00 +0000

A bit of a busy week for us. The Common Core activity on Mesoamerica and Sub-Saharan Africa is due Monday (period 1) or Tuesday (period 2). Wednesday is our Unit 2A Vocabulary Quiz and the Unit 2 Test will be Friday about China & Japan and Muslim Empire. Afterwards we will look at the Middle Ages in Europe!

I must begin to warn parents and students about the vocabulary quizzes. They should be easy grades but seem to be a challenge for some. I strongly suggest students review their vocabulary EVERY NIGHT with their homework. Doing so will make the quizzes and course all the easier.

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

You can find information about past make-up days from WCPSS on their website.

Week of 3/3 - 3/7

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 04:32:00 +0000

Interesting week coming up. Extra time together if you are in first period World History, but second period, we will be cut a little short. Sure, they will give us some time back on Wednesday, but we won't see each other at all on Tuesday. The modified bell schedule has been posted on the Leesville Road High School Website.

This week we will move into the Middle Ages. But before we tackle European Middle Ages, we will look at the larger world and what is going on globally at that time. We will discover that while Europe is on a decline, the rest of the world is flourishing. We will spend time in China & Japan, Mesoamerica, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East.

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

You can find information about past make-up days from WCPSS on their website.

Week of 02/03 - 02/07

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 02:44:00 +0000

Now that we got the inclement weather behind us, maybe NOW we can begin looking at ancient River Valley Civilizations this week. Most importantly, we will look at innovations of each region and similarities among the civilizations. Report Cards will likely be distributed on Monday and our first vocabulary quiz will be Wednesday. In addition, we will have our Unit 1A Test on Friday, February 07.

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

See the home page for information regarding make-up days from WCPSS.

Week of 01/27 - 01/31

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 02:08:00 +0000

We got the ball rolling last week setting expectations and getting familiar with class. After analyzing our own culture through the lens of an outsider in a fictitious document, "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema," we will begin looking at ancient River Valley Civilizations this week. Most importantly, we will look at innovations of each region and similarities among the civilizations. Report Cards will be distributed on Tuesday and our first vocabulary quiz will be Thursday. In addition, we will have our Unit 1A Test on Tuesday, February 04.

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

Week of 7 March 2011

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:27:00 +0000

This week we are focusing on the Classical World, Part 3. In this part we are focusing on 1) Important People, 2) Important Events, and 3) Cultural Achievements. This week we will be studying and testing on the Greeks. The test will either be Thursday or Friday. Afterwards, we will turn our attention to Rome, Han China, and Maurya and Gupta India.

Week of 7 February 2011

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:36:00 +0000

Big Week here. Not only is Friday an Early Release day and Winterfest Assembly Friday and Dance Saturday, we are continuing with our study of Ancient Civilizations. We are focusing on the features of civilization and examining different civilizations to discover evidence of these features. This week we will continue looking at River Valley Civilizations: Egypt, Indus Valley, and China. We will not be testing this week, but it is likely that we will be testing early next week.

Week of 31 January 2011

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:41:00 +0000

Big week coming up. Big week in that we will have our first test together and our first full week together - 5 days! I am looking forward to it, I hope you are up to it!

The test on Tuesday is Unit 1 - Prehistory. It will cover the information in chapter 1, be sure you are familiar with it: Prehistory, Old Stone Age, New Stone Age, the features of civilization.

Unit 2 will cover the major river valley civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China. We will focus on the characteristics of these earlier civilization and the contributions they made to human civilization.

Week of 24 January 2011

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:56:00 +0000

Welcome to World History! I hope you had a successful first semester and are ready to get going for the second semester. We have a lot of things to do and cover this semester, only 10,000 years of history and less than 5 months to do it! But we will do the best we can and get as far as we can, hopefully to the present.

We will be moving at a pretty good pace in order to cover all the information so you MUST do what you can to keep up with the assignments. I have created this website in order to make it easier for you to keep up. For example, let's say you lost your homework. In the past you would have to call a friend and try to make a photo copy or turn in the work on loose leaf paper, or even worse, not do the work at all. Now you can come to the website, access the work, print a copy and complete it! It is just that simple! No more "zeros" because you lost the worksheet.

I know for many, especially 9th graders, Social Studies does not hold a lot of interest. Teachers have always asked you use the textbook to "find" the answer. I do not believe in "finding the answer." Instead you will get a better understanding and appreciation for Social Studies if you learn themes and patterns so you can "figure out" history. But this will require you to put in the effort to learn these themes and patterns.

Perhaps in the past teachers have not put much emphasis on Social Studies. Let me assure you, Social Studies is a required subject for graduation. If you do not successfully complete World History, Civics & Economics, and US History then you will not graduate. You must pass these classes and I will not just give you a grade or just pass you along. Here at the high school level you must demonstrate that you learned the information or you will repeat the course. No excuses will count toward your grade, only what you can show.

So let's get ready to recap all the history that has come before us so that we can embark on making history ourselves. I look forward to an exciting semester, I hope you are too!

Week of 3 January 2011

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 01:03:00 +0000

Well, the end is here. Just this week and next. The final exam schedule is on the calendar below. Our exam will be on Friday, January 14. It is important to remind that the exam for this class is teacher made, therefore there will only be content covered in the course (according to the NCSCOS). The final exam review guide can be found on this website. Please note, the guide includes more information than will be on the final exam. We will not cover Unit 9: the Industrial Revolution even though it is on the Exam Review Guide.

Pardon the baseball reference but we are here in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs for some here. Although some people's backs are against the wall, the game isn't over. This is the time to fight back the hardest, not to give up. Make sure you get all work turned in, make up all tests and quizzes that are outstanding. Tuesday, after school, we will hold our last Homework Detention and our last Test Corrections. It will be a free for all, come by with whatever work needs to be made up or corrected and get it done to get credit for it. Earn back half the points lost on your tests this quarter, just come and make the corrections.

Week of 8 November 2010

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 02:27:00 +0000

The second quarter is under way! I apologize for any confusion regarding report cards and SPAN. I am looking into the discrepancy and will prevent it from taking place at the end of the second quarter. This week we will be learning about the Renaissance and the Reformation in Europe. It is always an interesting unit as it is what establishes the foundation for modern Europe and their exploration.

The schedule is a little odd this week regarding days off - Thursday is Veterans Day, and then we are back to school for Friday. Always an interesting week when there is a single day before or after a holiday. We will also be having a Fire Drill and Lockdown Drill on Monday during Pride Period!

Week of 18 October 2010

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 01:58:00 +0000

It seems we are falling a little behind. It is so difficult to proceed at such a hectic pace when there is so much great history and information to share. But that is not going to stop father time from getting older. Next week on Wednesday we will have a mid-term exam. It will cover all things we have already studied, things we are currently learning, and things we have yet to learn. The exam is being given department wide among all the World History teachers and we will be counting it as 2 test grades for this quarter. For those who are concerned about the exam and not having the time to thoroughly cover the material, do not worry, I will make sure that the few questions in doubt will be taken care of in time for the exam. Remember, I have already distributed the Review Sheet for the exam. Use it and your time wisely, you will be very glad if you do. Each day we are dedicating Pride Period to working on the Review Guide.

In an effort to pick up the pace, we are trying a new method. I am calling it "Just the Facts." This strategy will get the students to look at the important highlights in a list, read the section to better understand these main ideas, and then sort them into the appropriate NCSCOS Objective. So far it seems the students are responding well. I definitely like the way they are taking the time to read and understand the material independently before we discuss it. I am very hopeful that this will be a success. Despite the success I am observing, I still have a couple of place to tweak this strategy and have been doing so.

This week will also be a vocabulary quiz on the sections regarding Islam (chapter 10.1, 10.2, 10.3). Another thing to pay attention to is a very good opportunity. Thursday 10/21 and Tuesday 10/26 I am offering the students the opportunity to come after school and do test corrections. They will be able to go back to their tests from this quarter and correct the answer they got wrong. If they are successful the students will earn back half the credit for each correction. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to boost their grade right before the end of the quarter. On those days I will be available from 2:30 - 3:30 only.

Week of 27 September 2010

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:32:00 +0000

Looks like a short week ahead! Friday is a teacher workday, so enjoy the longer weekend. But before that we still have school to attend to. This week interim reports will be distributed on Monday. We will be continuing our lessons on Greek civilization. It is not likely we will finish the unit in the four days this week but will definitely be done by the middle of the next week, so plan ahead for a test either Tuesday or Wednesday, October 5 or 6. We will also have a vocabulary quiz this week on Wednesday. We will begin something new this week: Vocabulary Partners. I am very surprised how unprepared students are for their vocabulary quizzes, even when announced well in advance. As a result, we will be taking time for students to practice their vocabulary with each other. As I mentioned to the students at the beginning of the semester, the first obstacle to overcome in social studies is the vocabulary. Once they understand the terms the students can begin to understand the history and concepts involved.

Thursday this week is Picture Day. Photos for the Yearbook will be taken throughout the day. Parents should have already received literature for purchasing pictures through their student's second period teacher. Even the students who are not ordering pictures will be taking picture that day as well. These pictures will not only be in the yearbook but also be the student's identification picture for their Leesville ID. Leesville ID are required for entry to some school events, such as dances. So be sure to dress for pictures on Thursday!

Week of 20 September 2010

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:05:00 +0000

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. We kick things off this week with a test on Monday! (Unit 2A part 2 - India and China - chapter 3). Next we will cover Unit 2B - Early Religions and will focus on Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Since this is a brief part of a unit, we will follow it with Unit 3A - Classical Greece. As a result, next week we will test on Unit 2B and Unit 3A together.

Grades are posted - that is, of the things I have graded. I MUST remind students that their grade is a direct reflection of the effort they put into the course. If a student puts in little effort, does little work, does not pay much attention, it will be reflected in a lower grade. Consistently, those students who put in the effort to turn in their work on time, those who pay attention in class, those who pay attention to their work, those who do their own work and do not simply copy from other, earn higher grades. I am asking parents to keep up with their students - make sure that their student is keeping up, doing their work, reading the sections required of them, and studying regularly (not just the day before a test or quiz). Of the students, these are habits that can be taken to other classes as well as to everyday life with regard to daily responsibilities and in the workplace. Those of you doing well and putting in the effort, KUDOS to you. Those who are not (and there are more of you than there should be), it never too late to start!

Week of 13 September 2010

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 01:24:00 +0000

This week we will be investigating the early history and cultures of India and China. We will first be looking into the early Indus River civilization (Harappa) and subsequent culture after the invasion of the Aryans. We will also gain an understanding of a "Golden Age" as we discover the accomplishments of the Gupta Empire.

We will then look into the Chinese civilization - the longest, contiguous civilization - from its legendary roots through the Han dynasty. China developed a unique culture, but one she would eventually share with Korea and Japan.

Although we will not likely be tested on this information this week, a test will be early next week, possibly even Monday, September 20. We will, however, have at least one quiz this week (Tuesday - India Geography) and possibly a vocabulary quiz even sooner than that (hint, hint).

Week of 6 September 2010

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:35:00 +0000

I hope you enjoyed your long weekend, but we have a busy week ahead. Tuesday we will meet in groups to share our information on the Mesopotamian Civilization you were assigned on Friday. Thursday we will have a test on Egypt and Mesopotamia (chapter 2.1 - 2.4). And on Friday we will have a quiz matching the Mesopotamian Civilization to its contribution(s) and famous people. We will also begin our study on Ancient India and Ancient China. China remains the longest, continuous civilization in existence.

The calendar includes the information of the dates for tests and quizzes. Click on the title of the event in the calendar and it will give you more details. I am looking forward to another good week! I hope you are too.

PS, our first test will be returned on Tuesday.

Week of 30 August 2010

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 23:55:00 +0000

The first week is behind us, as short as it was. The week ahead will be a full five days, I hope everyone has rested up! This week I will be giving instructions on how I would like you to set up your notebook so I hope you have bought your school supplies. We will also be wrapping up Unit 1: Prehistory (Chapter 1). So you can expect a test on Wednesday, September 1. After that we will begin Unit 2A: River Valley Civilizations. This unit will discuss the contributions to civilization of the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Chinese, and Indians.

I hope you have been paying attention to the website. The World History section is still in its infancy but is growing daily. This main page has been updated with a few new things:

Twitter Feed - now you can keep track of the updates for homework and announcements right here on the main World History page;
Online Textbook Resources - you can link to the publishers online resources to supplement what we do in class;
Video - I added a short (4+ minute) cartoon video that is a cute summary of World History.

End of Summer

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:57:00 +0000

It is that time of year again, end of summer and the beginning of school. I hope you all have had a great and relaxing summer with plenty of fun and excitement. I had a great summer, for my part.

Usually students look at this as an unhappy time of year but I challenge you think of it as the beginning of a new adventure, an opportunity to grow. I am looking forward to a brand new school year, I have been teaching at Leesville Road High School for the past 14 years and am looking forward to year 15. For me, each year is an opportunity to improve on what I have done in the past and discover new techniques to grow as a teacher.

This upcoming week the teachers will be returning to school, planning their lessons, arranging their classrooms and preparing lessons to make this semester one of the most memorable and productive of the students' educational career. Wednesday evening is Open House for the first semester - an opportunity for parents and students to get an overview of what to expect from their courses this term and to briefly meet their teachers.

I am looking forward to getting started and ready for a great semester and school year. Enjoy the rest of your summer and be sure to check back for updates before the school year begins!